Sharon raises his right arm

2006-01-09 14:36

Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon raised his right arm unaided after doctors began to bring him out of a coma on Monday, the privately owned Channel 10 television reported.

Hadassah hospital spokesperson Ron Krumer was not able to confirm or deny the report when asked by AFP.

It was the second sign of brain activity from the Israeli premier since his massive stroke. Earlier doctors said he had begun to breathe "spontaneously".

"We have started to reduce the amount of anaesthesia," the director of the Hadassah hospital, Shlomo Mor Yosef, told reporters.

"In the first stage, Mr Sharon has begun to breathe spontaneously although he is still connected to the ventilator.

"This is the first sign of some sort of activity in his brain."

- AFP