Nothing found in bank raid search

A business belonging to the family was also searched

Nothing was found in a search of a County Tyrone family's land and property, police investigating the Northern Bank robbery have said.

The two-day operation near Beragh finished on Thursday.

The houses belong to brothers Michael and Liam Donnelly. Michael Donnelly's son Damien said the family had no idea why the police searched their property.

"It must have been false information they received, that's the only thing that I can see," he said.

He said they could not believe the searches were taking place.

"With the biggest robbery in history, to be involved in inquiries to do with that is just beyond us," he added.

"The whole of the Donnelly family has absolutely nothing to do with terrorism or bank robberies - it's not in our nature. We are out for an honest day's work for an honest day's pay."

An area of land was dug up and police used radar equipment

A business belonging to the family was also searched.

Barry McElduff, Sinn Fein MLA for West Tyrone, said: "They have been searching for, according to this warrant that I have in my possession, vehicles associated with the Northern Bank robbery and notes stolen from the bank on 20 December 2004."

The IRA denies responsibility for last December's bank raid in Belfast, and Sinn Fein says they believe the denial.

Sinn Fein has accused the police of timing the searches to coincide with the International Monitoring Commission's report on the robbery which was published on Thursday.

The commission backed the police assertion the IRA was behind the raid in Belfast in December.

Sinn Fein said it rejected the report because the IMC was "not independent".