Yemeni president vows to step down, but warns al-Qaida will move in

SANAA, Yemen (AP)

Under pressure from protesters and regional allies, Yemen's president said Saturday he will sign a deal to step down after 32 years in power.

Still, he condemned the proposal as "a coup" and warned the U.S. and Europe that his departure will open the door for al-Qaida to seize control of the fragile nation on the edge of Arabia.

The mixed signals from Yemen's embattled president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, followed two earlier promises by him to sign the proposal. Both times he backed away at the last minute, adding to the opposition's deep mistrust of a leader known for the adept political maneuvering that has kept in power for decades.