BAGHDAD, Iraq - An American hostage pleaded for his life with a rifle pointed at his head in a video released today while 11 Iraqi police died in fierce clashes and gunmen assassinated a senior judge in slayings highlighting security risks ahead of this weekend's elections.

On a day that the U.S. military said six American soldiers had died, interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi also said the time was not right to talk of a U.S. troop withdrawal and that Iraq must first build up its security forces to confront the insurgents.

In the video, hostage Roy Hallums spoke slowly, rubbing his hands as he sat with the barrel of the rifle inches from his head. He said he had been arrested by a "resistance group" because "I have worked with American forces." He appealed to Arab leaders, including Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, to act to save his life.

Hallums, 56, was seized Nov. 1 along with Filipino Robert Tarongoy during an armed assault on their compound in Baghdad's Mansour district. The two were working for a Saudi company that does catering for the Iraqi army. The Filipino was not shown.

Fighting erupted today in Baghdad's eastern Rashad neighborhood as police fired on insurgents who were handing out leaflets warning people not to vote in Sunday's national elections.

The flyers promised that rebels would wash the streets with the blood of voters and shower polling stations with bombs, mortar fire and rockets.

About the same time nearby, insurgents opened fire on police who were checking a report of a possible car bomb. Seven police died in the ambush, according to policeman Khazim Hussein.

Another bomb blew off the gate of a secondary school in the neighborhood and gunmen opened fire on Iraqi and U.S. forces responding to the blast. A witnesses said two Iraqi policemen and an insurgent were killed.

Altogether, 11 policeman were killed in the various clashes, according to an official at Kindi Hospital.

The slain judge was identified as Qais Hashim Shameri, secretary general of the judges council in the Justice Ministry.

Assailants sprayed his car with bullets in an attack that also wounded the judge's driver.

Assailants also shot and killed a man who worked for a district council in western Baghdad as he was on his way to work, police said.

Ina third ambush, gunmen firing from a speeding car wounded three staffers from the Communications Ministry as they were going to work.

Attackers also shot and killed the son of an Iraqi translator working with U.S. troops, police said. A police colonel was also gunned down along with his 5-year-old daughter on Monday as he was driving in southern Baghdad, officials said.

Col. Nadir Hassan was in charge of police protection forces for electric power facilities in two provinces flanking the capital.

Northeast of Baghdad, a U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle rolled into a canal during a combat patrol, killing five American soldiers from the Army's 1st Infantry Division and wounding two others, the military said Tuesday.

The accident occurred during the patrol near the town of Khan Bani Saad during fierce sandstorms Monday night. The military said the accident was under investigation.

Another U.S. soldier died of wounds from a roadside bomb that blasted an American patrol in Baghdad, the military said today.

Iraqis are to choose a 275-member National Assembly and legislatures in each of the 18 provinces in Sunday's balloting. Voters in the Kurdish-ruled area of the north will also elect a new regional parliament.

Many Sunni Arabs are expected to boycott the elections, either to express opposition to the process or for fear of reprisals.