Friends Ali Abbas and Ahmed Farhan remain eternally grateful to Britain and its people for giving them a home after they fell foul of US bombing raids during the fall of Baghdad 20 years ago.
As people celebrated the demise of despot Saddam Hussein, Ali’s shocking story stole headlines when it was reported that the innocent child lost his family and his arms in a US raid on March 30 2003.
Admitted to intensive care in a Kuwait hospital, Ali, now 32, met Ahmed, 34, who lost his left leg and his right hand in a US air strike days later on April 4 and the pair formed an instant bond - with Ali accepting an invitation to move to the UK on the condition his pal could come too.
