Saudi authorities have been notified that the US has started procedures to release the Saudi nationals and hand them over to the kingdom, the report quoted an anonymous source as saying.

The detainees awaiting release are the third group of Saudis to leave Guantanamo. Saudi Arabia admitted five detainees in 2004 and three in July 2005.

US authorities are currently holding 124 Saudi nationals captured during US strikes on formerly Taleban-governed Afghanistan and the period following US occupation.

Lawyers for the detainees in Guantanamo said their clients had been working in humanitarian and charitable organizations before they were detained by the US in Pakistan and moved to the Cuba detention camp.

US authorities have issued a list of 318 detainees in Guantanamo including 106 Saudis, 81 Yemenis, 41 Pakistanis and 33 nationals from other countries.

So far, 131 detainees have been released, including citizens of Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, Sweden, Iran and Russia.