A team investigating the murder of Northern Ireland human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson two years ago insisted tonight it was determined to catch those responsible.
The Port Inquiry team, headed by Norfolk Deputy Chief Constable Colin Port, was responding to criticism of its investigation into the murder of solicitor Rosemary Nelson, who died in a loyalist car bomb near her Lurgan home.
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Sinn Féin attacked the Port team's investigation, calling for its replacement by an independent judicial inquiry.
NIHRC chief commissioner Professor Brice Dickson said they were "seriously disappointed" the Port Inquiry had not yet led to anyone being convicted of Mrs Nelson's murder.
"With so many officers having been appointed to work on this case one would have hoped that the truth of what happened on that terrible day two years ago would have been fully unearthed by now," Professor Dickson said.
"The longer the criminal inquiry goes on in such an unproductive fashion the closer the Commission is to reaching the conclusion that only an independent public judicial inquiry will be able to ascertain the truth surrounding Rosemary Nelson's murder.
"The fact that the murder was preceded by death threats allegedly made by members of the RUC gives the Commission very serious cause for concern."
The Norfolk Deputy Chief Constable responded to the criticism by saying his team's investigation was still "active and ongoing".
"The team have interviewed in excess of 10,000 people, taken over 2,000 statements and have followed 8,000 lines of inquiry. I still have many areas to investigate and our work is far from complete."
Mrs Nelson was driving away from her home in Lurgan, County Armagh on March 15th, 1999, when a booby trap device exploded under her car
The attack was blamed on loyalists.
However, there were allegations that Mrs Nelson, who represented Garvaghy Road residents in the annual Drumcree dispute, was threatened by RUC officers.
PA