The controversial leader of Australia's Muslims left for Iraq today in a bid to help free an Australian held hostage by Iraqi militants.
But Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hilali will not arrive in Baghdad before the militants' deadline tomorrow for Australia to withdraw its troops from Iraq before they say they will kill hostage Douglas Wood.
"He's (al-Hilali) hoping (the militants) have heard his call and the deadline will be extended," a spokesman for Australia's Islamic community said.
Mr Al-Hilali made a televised appeal in Arabic to the militants holding Mr Wood (63), an engineer who lives in California and is married to an American. The appeal was broadcast on al-Jazeera television at the weekend.
"We are going to Iraq to help our Australian brother. We feel for Australians and we will do our best to bring our brother, Douglas Wood, home," Mr Al-Hilali said before leaving.
The outspoken Mr Al-Hilali (64) is the Mufti of Australia's 300,000 Muslims, who make up about 1.5 per cent of the nation's 20 million population.
He hit headlines in 2003 when he was charged with assaulting and hindering police and resisting arrest after his car was pulled over. The charges were later dropped.
Egyptian-born Mr Al-Hilali was under the spotlight again in 2004 when he described the September 11th, 2001, attacks on the United States as "God's work against the oppressors". He later said his statement had been misinterpreted.