UN inspectors today found 11 empty chemical warheads in “excellent” condition at an Iraqi ammunition storage area where they were inspecting bunkers built in the late 1990s.

UN arms inspectors fanned out yesterday to eight sites suspected of involvement in the making of banned weapons, as an Iraqi Cabinet minister warned the United States of "the heaviest losses" if it attacks.

IRAQ said yesterday it had nothing to hide over its arms programmes and that the United States was even welcome to send in CIA agents to direct UN inspectors to sites it deemed suspect.

IRAQ yesterday said it was not worried by accusations that its weapons declaration to the United Nations contained little new, and said it would give UN inspectors a list of scientists linked to arms programmes.

United Nations inspectors were getting down to work today after their four-year absence, meeting Iraqi officials and making plans to once again start searching for hidden chemical, nuclear and biological weapons.