Northern Ireland. TV commentator, columnist, terrorism analyst and expert In 1992 Dillon left the BBC to pursue his writing career. He subsequently became a terrorism analyst and commentator for Sky Television and other television and radio networks. In 1992, he presented a television documentary The Last Colony for Channel Four and RTÉ. It examined the origins of The Troubles, focusing on the confusing nature and failure of much of British policymaking of the period, especially of the Tory government led by Prime Minister Edward Heath. The documentary also contained some sensational revelations, including Heath’s secret declaration that it was legal for British soldiers to shoot protesters on the streets of Northern Ireland because they were "enemies of the Crown". Later, it formed part of the evidence against Heath at the Bloody Sunday Tribunal in 2003. During that period Dillon published seven best-selling books on the Irish conflict and three plays for radio and television. He also contributed as a TV commentator and terrorism expert to several networks including BBC, RTÉ, Sky TV and Channel Four. Notable Works The Shankill Butchers The Dirty War God and the Gun Literary works and themes In his bestselling trilogy The Shankill Butchers, The Dirty War and God and the Gun, Dillon offers a balanced and objective perspective of the conflict, the participants and their motives. As the Irish Times put it "Dillon is recommended reading for anyone wishing to understand the complexities of the British – Irish politics". The Shankill Butchers, A Case Study of Mass Murder, 1989, is a study of Northern Ireland's infamous Shankill butchers gang who preyed on Belfast Catholics. Dillon exposes the depravity of the UVF gang that was run by an aggressive psychopath, Lenny Murphy, with the help of one of his brothers. The gang performed unspeakable acts on helpless victims, killing them in a gruesome fashion. Dillon painstakingly interviewed countless civilians, paramilitaries and police officers in compiling the book. According to the Listener, "the great value of Martin Dillon's carefully researched and readable work is that it enters a world that few journalists have been inclined or able to penetrate". The Dirty War, 1990, is a detailed account of the undercover struggle in which all sides fought a no-rules battle, using spies, informants, assassins, disinformation and terrorist agents. Dillon examines the roles played by the Provisional IRA, British Intelligence, including MI5 and Special Branch, British Military Intelligence, the