Central Bank has warned banks and stockbrokers that they should inform the Garda of any accounts held by 100 figures believed to be linked to the attacks on the US.

A spokesman for the Central Bank said the figures were named by the FBI and the United Nations and had been circulated in a list to the European Central Bank.

That list was described last week by the US president, Mr George W. Bush, as the financial equivalent of "law enforcement's most wanted list".

The figures named are believed to have connections with the Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, who has been identified by President Bush as the prime suspect of orchestrating the attacks three weeks ago.

President Bush warned the international business community last week that he would freeze the assets of companies found to be assisting Osama bin Laden.

The financial strategy was seen as a complement to a military response to the attacks, which killed up to 7,000 people and injured many more.

The Central Bank spokesman added that an investigation by the Stock Exchange had uncovered no evidence of unusual share transactions here in advance of the attacks by hijacked planes on the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania on September 11th.

The bank wrote early last week to the 3,000 institutions it regulates advising them to conduct checks to detect any relationships with the individuals named by the US authorities.

Such people could be investigated for possible prosecution under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act, the spokesman said.

However, he added that it was for the Garda to pursue any case.

The Stock Exchange had been asked to look at share price movements after reports that bin Laden and his associated had manipulated share prices in advance of the attacks on New York and Washington.

It reported to the Central Bank on Thursday that no evidence of such dealings had emerged.