Last UK detainee at Guantanamo released

Britain's last resident in Guantanamo Bay has been released after 13 years.

An officer at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay has been sacked amid reports he had an affair. (AAP) Source: AAP

The last British resident in Guantanamo Bay has been released after spending more than 13 years at the military prison in Cuba.

"The Americans announced some weeks ago that they were going to release Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo and I can confirm that he is on his way back to the UK now and he will arrive in Britain later today," Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Friday.

The United States accused 46-year-old Saudi national Aamer of acting as a recruiting sergeant, financier and fighter for al-Qaeda, as well as being a close associate of Osama Bin Laden but never charged him or put him on trial.

The father-of-four, who was twice cleared for release from the camp in 2007 and 2009, denied the allegations and said he was in Afghanistan working for a charity.

Andy Worthington, co-director of the We Stand With Shaker campaign, said Aamer's lawyer had informed him of the release.

"We're delighted to hear that his long and unacceptable ordeal has come to an end," he said.

"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."