I think it does because it is passed to the template compiled later on.
<pre>
+                 template: function(context) {
+                   var attrName = 'attr_' + scope.counter.toString();
+                   var template = '<div class="tt-search" ng-init="' +
+                   attrName + '=\'' + context.attrs.layer + '\';" ' +
+                   'ng-mouseover="addLayer(' + attrName + ')" ' +
+                   'ng-mouseout="removeLayer(' + attrName + ')"';
</pre>