THE wife of British Guantanamo Bay detainee Shaker Aamer has issued a desperate plea to David Cameron, urging him to secure her husband’s freedom during his visit to the White House this week.

Mr Aamer, from south London, has been detained without charge or trial at the US prison camp since 2002.

This is despite his having twice been cleared for release, first by the Bush administration in 2007 and again by President Barack Obama in 2009.

In a heartfelt letter sent to the British Prime Minister, Zinneera Aamer said:

“Thirteen years ago my family was ripped apart when my husband was sold for a bounty and taken to Guantanamo Bay.

“He has never been charged with a crime. He has never faced a trial. He was cleared

for release — told he could come home, in other words — by president Bush’s administration. He was then cleared for release a second time, by President Obama’s administration.

“We had such hope, when Mr Obama said he would close the prison — finally, we thought, our family’s ordeal will be over. It is hard to describe the crushing despair of having such hopes dashed.”

She went on to say: “I know that you know all of this. But I hope that if I lay out the desperate state of affairs once again — and it would be foolish to suggest we are anything other than desperate — you will be moved to raise Shaker’s case with President Obama when you meet him, and that you will get Shaker home.”

Grave concerns have long been expressed for Mr Aamer’s mental and physical well-being amid reports that he has suffered repeated abuse, almost daily beatings and long periods in solitary confinement.

Mr Aamer and his British wife, Zinneera, have four British children — the youngest of whom has never met his father.

Cori Crider, a director at legal charity Reprieve who represents Mr Aamer, said: “Successive British governments have claimed to have ‘raised Shaker’s case’ with the US over the years — yet he’s still locked up in Guantanamo without charge or trial, suffering terrible mistreatment every day.

“Enough delays. David Cameron must listen to Shaker’s wife and children, and come back from the White House with a clear timeline for Shaker’s release.”