Police investigating the Rosemary Nelson murder have interviewed two former RUC officers over an allegation that they threatened the solicitor's life. It is understood that this was prompted by the claims of a convicted loyalist killer that two named RUC officers had asked him to have her shot.
Loyalist lifer Trevor McKeown (41) alleges that in 1997 police questioning him over an unrelated sectarian killing offered to pass on Mrs Nelson's details to have her killed.
McKeown first made the claim in a newspaper interview in May, but it was linked to his bid to overturn his murder conviction. No evidence has been found to support his claim.
Relatives of Mrs Nelson now claim that investigators have told them that the two officers identified by McKeown were among RUC personnel questioned six years ago when Mrs Nelson filed a complaint claiming police were threatening her life.
Two years before she was murdered in a loyalist car bomb in March 1999, Mrs Nelson filed a complaint against the RUC after claims that officers were threatening her in interviews with her clients.
An internal RUC investigation was eventually scrapped amid criticisms of its conduct, and a team from the Metropolitan police led by Commander Niall Mulvihill was brought in.
At the end of the Mulvihill investigation it was ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute any police officer.
Mr Mulvihill's report was never made public, but it is understood that he questioned a large number of RUC personnel.
Mrs Nelson's sister Bernie yesterday said her family first wondered whether McKeown was "trying to tell a story for his own ends".
"But it was later, when we heard that he had named names which were in the Mulvihill report, that's when concern really set in," she said.
The Rosemary Nelson Murder team – led by investigators from English police forces – interviewed McKeown at Maghaberry Prison.
It is understood that the two officers he named later agreed to be interviewed by the Nelson team, but denied the allegation levelled by the loyalist.
Police are understood to have found no evidence to support McKeown's claims, while his solicitor at the time has said he has no memory of any such incident.
In a further development, Mrs Nelson's relatives last night said police also told them the murder investigation has ended.
Later the police also issued a statement which said the case was "still active", but this was dismissed by a spokesman for the family.
No-one has been charged in connection with Mrs Nelson's murder. The family called for a public inquiry to be ordered by retired Canadian judge Peter Cory who is reviewing six cases where security force collusion is alleged.
