The 74-year-old ousted Tunisian president, exiled in Saudi Arabia, is said to be in a coma following a stroke. 
 
 Ben Ali fled Tunisia for Jeddah after mass protests in the country called for his ouster [AFP] Former Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali is in a grave condition in hospital in Saudi Arabia, sources have said. The 74-year old ousted leader suffered a stroke and was "in a coma", a family friend said on Thursday, as more details of corruption under his rule came to light in Tunisia. "He had a stroke, and his condition is serious," the source said, adding that Ben Ali slipped into a coma "two days ago" while being treated for the condition in a Jeddah hospital. Ben Ali fled Tunisia to Jeddah after being ousted in a popular revolt in his home country, calling for an end to his 23-year rule. He has been living in Saudi Arabia since January 14. Earlier, a spokesman for the interim government that replaced Ben Ali's regime would neither confirm nor deny the reports that he was in hospital. Tunisia's Le Quotidien newspaper had reported on Thursday that he had a stroke. Government spokesman Taieb Baccouch said Mohamed Ghannouchi's transitional government, which includes members of the opposition, would discuss Ben Ali's condition during a cabinet meeting on Friday. 'A part of Tunisia's past' Dissident and journalist Touafik Ben Brik, who was jailed under the regime for articles criticising Ben Ali, told AFP he felt as if he was "almost in mourning" for the dictator, such was his hold on the country. "I can never forget. He is still in us, he is part of our past and he will live for a long time in us." Yadh Ben Achour, a Tunisian lawyer and head of the newly established national commission for political reform, said Ben Ali's hospitalisation in exile "is proof there is justice on earth". On the streets of Tunis, there was little sympathy for former president as the news broke. "If he dies, we're losing a dictator and I say 'Good riddance'," said Adel, a 50-year-old teacher. "We're turning a page, we've other things to do in this country." Since Ben Ali fled his homeland, details have gradually come to light of the extent of corruption under his rule. He and his wife Leila Trabelsi, along with their inner circle, are suspected of having pocketed much of the country's wealth over the years, and of taking personal stakes in much of the economy. Central bank chief Mustapha Kamel Nabli said this week that Tunisian banks funded businesses linked to the families of the couple to around 1.3bn euros ($1.7bn). Nearly 30 per cent of the cash was provided with no guarantees of repayment. 

 The former Tunisian leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali is in a coma in hospital in Saudi Arabia after suffering a stroke two days ago, according to French agencies. 
 
 The 74-year-old, who fled to Saudi Arabia last month after a people's uprising, was said to be in a grave condition. His decision to flee Tunisia for the Red Sea city of Jeddah on 14 January was a victory for the month-long revolution and helped spread a mood of uprising across the Arab world. 
 
 Obsessed with presenting a youthful, healthy face to the nation, the ageing despot had long refused to allow any photographs to be taken of him except official portraits which airbrushed out his wrinkles. Under the heavy censorship of the regime, newspapers were only allowed one approved photograph and could not change it except to make his dyed hair look blacker. 
 
 French journalist and Tunisia expert Nicolas Beau reported that Ben Ali had been admitted to a Saudi hospital favoured by the royal family but had been registered under a false name for security reasons. He said that Tunisia's interim president had been informed of Ben Ali's predicament two days ago. 
 
 French media reported that Ben Ali's wife Leila, whose lavish consumption made her a hate figure in Tunisia, was not at her husband's side and might be in Libya. 
 
 The EU has frozen the assets of Ben Ali and his family as Tunisia investigates the alleged corruption of the ruling family and toppled regime.
– Warning: Losing power may be bad for your health. Exiled Tunisian strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has been hospitalized in Saudi Arabia after suffering a stroke on Tuesday and, according to some sources, is in a coma, the Guardian reports. The 74-year-old was forced to flee Tunisia last month after a popular uprising demanded an end to his 23-year rule, inspiring demonstrations across the Arab world. There was little sympathy for the ousted leader on the streets of the Tunisian capital after the news of his condition broke, al-Jazeera notes. "If he dies, we're losing a dictator and I say 'Good riddance'," said a 50-year-old teacher. "We're turning a page, we've other things to do in this country." The head of the newly established national commission for political reform said Ben Ali's hospitalization "is proof there is justice on earth."