The last British prisoner in Guantanamo Bay has been
released, it was confirmed today.Father-of-four Shaker Aamer had been detained at the
US military jail in Cuba since 2002 without trial.
He was cleared for release at the end of last month,
but Mr Aamer's wife Zin and four children – one of whom he has never met – have
been waiting for his return.
His release was confirmed by Foreign Secretary
Philip Hammond this morning.
Andy Worthington, co-director of the We Stand With
Shaker campaign, said he had informed by Mr Aamer's lawyer that he is due to
return to the UK today.
He said: 'We're delighted to hear that his long and
unacceptable ordeal has come to an end.
'We hope he won't be detained by the British
authorities on his return and gets the psychological and medical care that he
needs to be able to resume his life with his family in London.'Other reports suggested he was already on a flight
back home.
Human rights charity Reprieve wrote on Twitter:
'Looks like a plane has left Guantanamo Bay, bound for London.'
But a spokesman for Reprieve said it had no
confirmation of Mr Aamer's release and it would not receive advance warning.
Mr Aamer, 46, says he was working as a charity
worker in Afghanistan when he was kidnapped and handed over to US forces in
2001.
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