These are the first pictures of the four men arrested over the abduction of Luis Diaz‘s father.
They face charges including kidnap and theft, with the first court hearing that took place on Monday in the northern Colombian city of Riohacha.
On Saturday night, it emerged one of the four men, Yerdinson Bolivar Bolivar who is said to use the alias ‘Arenca’ or ‘Areca’ was a trainer at Manuel Luis Diaz’s football school in his home town of Barrancas.
How one suspect infiltrated camp of Luis Diaz’ father
Colombian authorities have accused him of seeking a job there so he could keep the Liverpool star’s father under surveillance as part of a ‘covert infiltration’ and build up a picture of his movements.
A chilling picture published by Colombian media outlet Semana shows ‘Areca’ behind Mr Diaz, who seems to be unaware of the other man’s presence, walking behind him in a shoe shop.
It has not been made clear when the photo was taken.
The roles of other suspects
The two other suspects, Marlon Rafael Brito Bolivar, alias Marlon, and Brayan Javier Morales Sanjuan, alias Brayan or Negro, are said to have ridden the motorbikes used to abduct Mr Diaz and his wife Cilenis Marulanda who was rescued shortly afterwards.
The fourth man, Andrys Alcides Bolivar Bolivar, is a currency exchange worker who has been described as the leader of the operation and the man who organised his handover to the left-wing ELN insurgency group who later took responsibility for taking Mr Diaz hostage in what police have described as a case of ‘criminal outsourcing.’
Who are the ELN?
Local reports have pointed to the ELN using the gang allegedly led by Alcides, known by the alias of Andrys, to deflect attention from their role in the crime.
Alcides’ gang has been named as Los Primos which in English translates as ‘The Cousins’, although prosecution chiefs have also referred to them as Los Primates, English for ‘The Primates’.
