Amnesty award for Panorama

Panorama's investigation into collusion between the British intelligence services and loyalist death squads in Northern Ireland has been honoured by Amnesty International.

The two part documentary 'A Licence to Murder', won the TV documentary award in the 2003 Amnesty International UK Media Awards

The programme revealed the extent to which some members of the British intelligence services colluded with - and even tried to direct - loyalist death squads in Northern Ireland.

Reporter John Ware uncovered 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.

Casualties

'A Licence to Murder' beat fellow BBC production The fall of Milosevic, John Pilger's Palestine is Still the Issue and the Channel Four Dispatches programme State of terror to win the award.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said: "At a time when the international focus on Iraq has sometimes seen other human rights abuses go unreported, the role of journalists in exposing abuses has never been more critical.

"The range of entries received for this year's awards and the challenges, dangers, threats and casualties experienced by journalists over the course of this year reminds us just how much they put their own lives on the line in order to highlight the facts and influence change."

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