The Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) has denied that the high level of confidentiality amongst Swiss banks could protect terrorists and their financial transactions.
In a statement, the SBA said: "When a crime - including acts of terrorism - is being investigated the judicial authorities have complete and unlimited access to information in the banks.
"Furthermore, the banks are legally obliged to report suspicious transactions to the authorities," it added.
The SBA also drew attention to its close co-operation with the authorities and Switzerland's strong anti-money laundering laws.
