Cleric's aide wounded in assassination attempt

An aide to Iraq’s most revered Shiite Muslim cleric was injured in an assassination attempt in Baghdad after receiving threats from militants opposed to his support for Iraq’s elections, a relative of the man said today.

Sheik Ammar al-Hilali, a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, was shot seven times by gunmen who opened fire from two cars as he left sunset prayers at a mosque on Tuesday, said the relative, Ali al-Lafta.

The sheik is being treated at a Baghdad hospital, he said. It wasn’t clear if his wounds were life threatening.

The relative said Sheik al-Hilali has received many threats from Sunni Arab extremists who opposed his support for Iraq’s landmark elections.

Ayatollah al-Sistani himself was a strong backer of the vote and even declared voting a religious duty for every man and woman.