Part one:

Part two:

Britain stands accused of helping known terrorists to assassinate suspected enemies of the state during the 1980s.

A major, two-part Panorama investigation reveals the extent to which some members of the British intelligence services colluded with - and even tried to direct - loyalist death squads in Northern Ireland.

A handful of active IRA terrorists were assassinated, but so were some innocent Catholics.

Dirty war

Government death squads are normally associated with South American dictatorships and unthinkable in a modern democracy like Britain.

With disturbing new documentary evidence and exclusive interviews, the distinguished investigative reporter John Ware exposes the secrets of Britain's dirty war.

The programme focuses on the five tumultuous years that preceded the search for peace.

1985 to 1990 was very much the dark before the dawn.

The Provisional IRA was still throwing everything it had at the British security forces, and re-armed loyalist murder gangs were assissinating IRA terrorist suspects and Catholics alike.

Controversial murders

John Ware uncovers the role of Military Intelligence and RUC Special Branch officers in one of the most brutal and controversial murders of the "troubles": that of Belfast solicitor, Patrick Finucane.

He exposes the lengths to which both services have gone in their attempts to disguise such criminal activities.

This Panorama special is the result of 13 years of research by Ware, who has had unrivalled access to secret papers and sources, and is produced and directed by Eamon Hardy. The same award-winning reporter-producer team made Panorama's ground-breaking Who Bombed Omagh?

Production Team:
Reporter: John Ware
Producer: Eamon Hardy
Assistant Producers: Sarah Mole, Fiona Crack
Editor: Mike Robinson