'Full life' for injured Iraqi boy

Ali has responded well to treatment

One of the specialists set to treat the Iraqi boy who is in London to have prosthetic arms fitted has said that after the rehabilitation he can "live the life he wants".

Ali Ismaeel Abbas, 13, was injured and burned in an allied attack on Baghdad in which his parents and many members of his family died.

At first he was given only a 50% chance of survival, but he has responded well to treatment, including three months of plastic surgery in Kuwait.

He landed in a private jet at RAF Northolt in west London at 1500 BST on Thursday, along with 14-year-old Ahmed Mohammed Hamza who lost his left leg below the knee and his right hand.

On Monday they will be admitted to Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton, south-west London, for assessment.

He's a critical part of our team so we will include him and his carers in all our decisions Robin Cooper

Robin Cooper, a clinical specialist in prosthetics at the hospital, told BBC Breakfast that initially the 13-year-old will be met by the rehabilitation consultant who has been liaising with their colleagues in Kuwait.

"We will then go on and each individual member of the team will assess him.

"We'll make a joint assessment and then we will start to plan his treatment."

The Limbless Association, which runs the rehabilitation centre at the hospital, has raised more than £275,000 towards the cost of the boys' care and treatment.

Mr Cooper stressed that Ali's "rehabilitation is a process that's going to take some time".

'Offer support'

But he said what was crucial to the boy's recovery was the relationship between him and the medical team.

"One of the critical things is to establish a good rapport and make them feel comfortable.

"So he's a critical part of our team so we will include him and his carers in all our decisions."

After the prosthetic arms have been fitted Mr Cooper said Ali will be able "live the life he wants".

"Basically what we are looking for is rehabilitation for the next 75 plus years.

"So we will do our best to support him and can offer technical advice, we can offer some support, but basically he's going to have to do it."

Ali was taken to Kuwait following the missile strike which killed his parents, brother and 13 other relations.

Kuwait's health minister, Mohammed al-Jarrallah, accompanied the two boys and their relatives to the airport and said their initial visit was expected to last three months.

"As far as we are concerned, we are committed to treating them until they are fully grown," he said.