Portugal asks Iraq to lift immunity for ambassador's sons over assault on teenager

Portugal's Foreign Ministry asked Iraq to lift diplomatic immunity on Thursday from its ambassador's twin sons, following their brutal attack on a teenager.

Portuguese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it handed the request to the Iraqi charge d'affaires in Lisbon to lift diplomatic immunity. Portugal now awaits a response from the Iraqi authorities.

According to a statement by Portugal's prosecutor general's office on Wednesday, it asked the Foreign Ministry to intervene in order to be able to interrogate the two suspects, who could be accused of the crime of attempted manslaughter.

Portugal is investigating the case of the twin sons of Iraq's ambassador to Portugal Saad Mohammed Ridha, who were accused of assaulting a teenager on Aug. 17 and leaving him in coma for five days.

The 17-year old twins, Haider and Ali Ridha, allegedly attacked 15-year-old Ruben Cavaco in Ponte de Sor around 180 km northeast of Lisbon.

Cavaco was taken to a hospital in a helicopter in Lisbon after the assault and left intensive care on Tuesday after having reconstructive surgery on his face. He is yet to have neurological evaluation due to a head injury.

The twin brothers were at first detained by police officers but soon freed after discovering they were sons of Iraqi ambassador Saad Mohammed Ridha, and have diplomatic immunity from prosecution.

The twins have lived in Portugal for a year and were in Ponte de Sor for Haider to complete his practical part of his aviation course.

In a televised interview with Portugal's TV SIC on Tuesday, Haider and Ali admitted they attacked Cavaco after an initial altercation with six Portuguese teenagers outside a local bar. Endit