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» Palacios' brother found dead

Honduran Authorities believe they have found the body of Tottenham Hotspurs' player Wilson Palacios' brother. 16 year old Edwin Rene Palacios was snatched from his parent's house in La Ceiba by armed bandits in October 2007 resulting in him never to be seen again. His family paid a ridiculous sum of £331,000 ransom and yet still Edwin was not released.

His family always hoped that he would return home and believed that he was safe and well. Police Chief Nelson Osorio said on Friday “According to all the evidence provided to the police, we think that the bones are those of the young person, Palacios”

Osorio advised that over 50 police armed with shovels and other excavating tools unearthed the body after four days of digging in a mountain area north of the Honduran capital. He said the body was found two metres underground clothed in sportswear and shoes.

Two imprisoned gang members who call themselves ‘18' confessed to the killing and led the police to the burial site. The police have identified the gang members as Alexander Reyes and Elmer Orellana.

Last night Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said he would speak to Palacios about the discovery and He said “If it's true, it's devastating. His mum is over in England visiting him at the moment. You couldn't wish to meet a nicer boy. It will be up to him whether he will play in tomorrow's game against Everton.”

In February, Edwin's mother Orfilia made a touching plea to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to lobby the President of Honduras about her missing son. She said, “I need someone with a lot of power like Gordon Brown as I need to find out about my little boy.” She also stated that she felt the President of Honduras was dragging his feet.

Wilson 23 told BBC Five Live in a previous interview that he learnt his brother was kidnapped. He revealed, “I went back to the dressing room and got my phone to find there was a message from my brother, that it was urgent and call him back, that's when I found out Edwin had been kidnapped.” He went on to say “We were aware he was safe because they put him on the phone so we could speak to him, it went through my oldest brother, he was not eating at first but my mum has told him to eat, be calm and that it's going to be okay.”

Wilson also stated “It was a shock; the first thought was who do we know that would do this? We don't have any enemies. I felt awful.” He warned other Latin American players to think carefully before considering a career in England and leaving their families behind.

Before Wilson was signed by the Premier League team, he said he had no idea that he would become targets for gangs. “I can't deny that this is happening quite a bit in Honduras, players need to be careful and make sure that they are taking all measures to protect their families before they come here.”

In recent years three Latin American players' families were targeted by kidnappers. Henry Sousa, the brother of the Inter Milan striker David Sousa, mother of the Brazilian forward Robinho was abducted by gunmen and Milan striker Ricardo Oliveira was rescued in a police raid in Brazil five months after being taken captive.

Such a crime is not without precedent in Honduras, where there have already been 33 kidnappings in this year alone.

If it is Edwin's body it will be the second tragedy to rock the brother of a Spurs player in the most recent weeks. Last month, rapper Jade Defoe half brother of Jermain Defoe died from fatal head injuries suffered in a violent attack in Leystone, East London.

Wilson is one of the biggest stars in Honduras football, in January he transferred from Wigan to Spurs for £12 million.

Written By Leigh Adetimikan

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