The jury found that the BBC did not act in good faith and awarded Adams 100,000 euros ($113,000) in damages.

Gerry Adams, former leader of Sinn Fein, won a libel case against the BBC after a report that he approved the killing of informants in the Irish Republican movement.

A jury of the Irish High Court ruled on Friday that the BBC did not act in good faith and acted in a "fair and reasonable" manner and awarded Adams 100,000 euros ($113,000) in damages.

Adams filed a lawsuit against the claims for 2016 documentary and online articles, and he approved the killing of a long-serving Sinn Fein official, Denis Donaldson, who admitted in 2005 that he had worked for British intelligence. Four months later, he was shot dead in a cottage in rural Ireland.

The BBC's "spotlight" investigation included an anonymous allegation that political and military leaders of the IRA army approved the murder, and Adams gave the "final statement".

Adams denied any involvement.

Adams, 76, spoke outside the court and said the case was "about behaving on the BBC". His lawyer said Adams was “very satisfied with this loud verdict”.

Adams, 76, is one of the most influential figures in the decades of conflict and its peace process in Northern Ireland. He led the party Sinn Fein, which had a connection with the IRA between 1983 and 2018. He has always denied being an IRA member, but former colleagues say he is one of its leaders.

The BBC argues that it acts with "honest beliefs", its plans are "fair, reasonable" and public interest, and that the allegations in the documentary are supported by five other sources.

BBC Northern Ireland director Adam Smyth spoke with Spotlight reporter Jennifer O'Leary at the Dublin High Court and told reporters they were disappointed with the verdict.

“We believe we provide the court with extensive evidence of careful editing procedures and journalism diligence in the program and accompanying online articles,” Smyth said.

“In addition, it has been accepted by the court and recognized by the legal team of Gerry Adams that the broadcasts and publications that people are concerned have the highest public interest.”

Adams filed the case in Dublin because the spotlight project can be viewed in Ireland, with about 16,000 people seeing it.

In the 14 months after its release in September 2016, online articles also had about 700 hits in Ireland.