WASHINGTON. Sept 8: The case lor niaintati ' ’ N s.inctfons against Iraq has been strengthened by an "incredible array’' of new disclosures on Iraqi weapons programmes, the Stale Department said Thursday, says AP.

Spokesman Nicholas Burns made the comment on the eve of what is expected to be a routine UN Security Council extension of sane tlons against Iraq on Friday.

Among the new disclosures was a biological warfare programme that targeted soldiers and civilians for blindness, gangrene and bleeding lungs, the Los Angeles Times reported this week. The Iraqi goal was to maim their targets instead of killing them so the enemy would spend precious time and resources caring for the sick and injured.

Iraq has informed UN inspectors that it is pursuing a new policy of full disclosure on its weapons programmes and friendly ties with neighbours.

Burns, said it would be Inappropriate to relax sanctions against a country that now admits that it lied and cheated."

"I don't believe there Is any country that is serious in the Security Council that will support the lifting pf sanctions.' he said.