Police in the North were justified in the raid on Stormont that led to the collapse of Northern Ireland's power-sharing Executive, a new inquiry has found.
But even though Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan believes the operation was right, she is understood to criticise officers for acting in a heavy-handed manner.
These are among key findings in her report on searches of Sinn Féin offices at the Belfast parliament during an investigation into alleged IRA espionage inside government.
After months studying the case, it is understood her team has decided the raid should have gone ahead. Mrs O'Loan is expected to publish her assessment early next week.
She began an investigation following a complaint from Sinn Féin assembly member Mr Conor Murphy. Her report will also cover a number of separate complaints made by party workers at Stormont.
As the peace process was plunged into a crisis from which it has still to fully recover, the Assembly was suspended in October 2002.
PA