Iraqi Shiite leader Al-Khoei assassinated in Najaf

By: Ismail Zabeeh/ Mehdi H. Amersy

HOLY CITY OF NAJAF, Iraq: Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul Majid Al-Khoei and an aide Haidar Kelidar have been assassinated on Thursday at the shrine of Imam Ali in the holy city of Najaf, south of Iraq, the Khoei family foundation said.

A number of people were injured in the melee.

Al-Khoei, head of the London-based Al-Khoei Foundation, has been living in London for 12 years, before returning to home in the holy city of Najaf last week.

His father, Grand Ayatullah Abul Qassim Al-Khoei Al-Mousawi (late), was the highest Shi'ite religious authority in the world and Chancellor of Islamic Seminary of Najaf Al-Ashraf. Various Ayaat and scholars including Iraq's leading Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatullah Ali Al-Seestani and Ayatullah Baqer Al-Hakim who heads SCIRI are directly or indirectly students of Grand Ayatullah Abul Qassim Al-Khoei Al-Mousawi (late).

Reports say Abdul Majid was attacked by a group of men armed with knives.

It is said that Abdul Majid was a close aide of Grand Ayatullah Ali Al-Seestani.

Situation in the city is tense.

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