Five Iraqi judges escaped assassination attempts in separate bomb attacks Monday in east Baghdad.

Iraqi policemen at a checkpoint, under a highway overpass in Baghdad, 30 Jun 2008

All five bombs were planted near the homes or vehicles of the judges in different neighborhoods of the Iraqi capital, but they failed to kill their targets. One of the judges and his wife were wounded.

Iraqi officials say they believe the attacks were planned and could be part of a campaign by militants to intimidate the court.

Today's attacks come just days after gunmen shot and killed a senior judge as he was driving home in eastern Baghdad. Judge Kamil al-Showaili, who headed one of the capital's two appeals courts, was killed Friday.

In other news, an Iraqi provincial leader accused the U.S. military of violating Iraq's sovereignty by conducting a raid that killed a relative of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Iraqi officials say U.S. troops backed by helicopters raided the town of Hindiyah near the Shi'ite holy city of Karbala early Friday and killed an Iraqi security guard related to Mr. Maliki.

Karbala's governor, Aqil al-Khuzaie said Sunday that the U.S. operation violated an agreement that transferred his province to Iraqi control last year.

The U.S. military says troops shot the man in self-defense after seeing him emerge from a building holding an AK-47 rifle as if to fire. The military says it "deeply regrets" the loss of life and is investigating the incident.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.