Tajik spiritual leader shot dead

ALMATY, Tajikistan - The pro Moscow Muslim spiritual leader of Tajikistan was shot dead with members of his family by unknown assailants who stormed into his apartment, the Tajik government said yesterday. Mufti Fatkhulla Sharipov (53), his wife, son, daughter in law and a teenage spiritual pupil died in a hail of sub machinegun fire at his home west of Dushanbe late on Sunday night.