Cuba frees American prisoner Alan Gross, Obama officials confirm

A senior Obama administration official says Cuba has released American Alan Gross, who has been imprisoned for five years.

The official told the Associated Press Gross has departed Cuba on a US government plane bound for the United States. He was released on humanitarian grounds by the Cuban government at the request of the United States, the official said.

The official insisted on anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly by name.

“This morning, Alan Gross has departed Cuba on a US government plane bound for the United States. Mr Gross was released on humanitarian grounds by the Cuban government at the request of the United States,” a senior administration official told the Guardian.