Former police ombudsman Nuala O'Loan was asked by the SDLP to consider becoming its candidate in June's European election in a bold attempt to win back the party's seat in Brussels.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan believed O'Loan's popularity, particularly among nationalists who saw her as standing up to the security establishment, meant she could regain the seat lost to Sinn Féin after John Hume's retirement. SDLP sources told the Sunday Tribune that Durkan had personally visited O'Loan asking her to go forward as a potential candidate. O'Loan isn't even a member of the party, but her husband Declan is an SDLP Assembly member.

"Nuala's huge profile and qualities would have virtually guaranteed her a clean run and, had anyone stood against her, she'd have walked it," one source said.

O'Loan clashed with former chief constable Ronnie Flanagan over her damning report into the police's Omagh bomb investigation. Highlighting police collusion in the UVF murder of Raymond McCord jnr, further enhanced her reputation.

O'Loan's Omagh report referred to "defective leadership and poor judgement" in the police bomb investigation. Although she received little political support from the British or Irish governments, her conclusions were accepted by the Omagh families. She has been further vindicated by recent developments suggesting a security services cover-up.

O'Loan is now Ireland's roving ambassador for conflict resolution and has spent time in East Timor. She is also investigating the abuse of deportees held in detention centres across Britain.

O'Loan told the Sunday Tribune: "I've never had political ambitions. My expertise is in security sector reform. I've much left to contribute in this area and in gender equality and violence against women issues. Although a political career isn't for me, I would of course have been flattered to have been considered and I wish Alban well in his campaign."

An SDLP spokesman didn't deny approaching O'Loan: "Identifying potential candidates ahead of any election is commonplace in politics."