The sources said Abdullah, who has sought to recover from two operations
in the United States in late 2010, experienced a deterioration in his health
during efforts to help embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. They said
the 86-year-old king sought to lobby the United States to support the
continuation of the Mubarak regime despite the massive opposition campaign
in Egypt.
"These efforts certainly didn't help his health and probably harmed
recovery," the source said.
Over the last two months, Abdullah was resting in his home in Morocco, Middle East Newsline reported.
The sources said the king was suffering from back and heart ailments as well
as signs of dementia.
For their part, Saudi opposition sources said Abdullah died on Feb. 9 at
his home in Morocco. On late Feb. 10, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal
said Abdullah was in "excellent shape."
Over the last six months, Abdullah has ceded authority to his deputy
prime minister, Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz. Opposition sources and Western
diplomats agreed that Nayef, also Saudi interior minister, has been in
charge of both Saudi foreign and domestic policy since late 2010. Crown
Prince Sultan was also said to have been sidelined by dementia and other
ailments.
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