The United Nations Security Council has approved a resolution expanding the list of civilian goods that Iraq cannot import without prior approval.

A team of 25 inspectors stormed into the plant in a manner similar to the work of gangs Iraqi official

The United States has been calling for the resolution, which enlarges an already existing list of goods that can have military use.

The list is part of a deal that allows Iraq to sell oil in return for food and humanitarian supplies.

The vote came as an Iraqi official criticised UN weapons inspectors for behaving like gangsters during one of their inspections on Monday.

"A team of 25 inspectors stormed into the plant... in a way never seen before and in a manner similar to the work of gangs," said Mohammad Hussein, head of a missile facility at Abu Ghreib, 25 kilometres west of Baghdad.

Inspectors counted missile engines at the site, one of at least six visited on Monday.

There are now 110 inspectors in Iraq trying to establish whether Iraq still has weapons of mass destruction.

US insistence

Monday's Security Council resolution was passed 13-0, with Russia and Syria abstaining.

MONDAY'S INSPECTIONS

Missile facility, Abu Ghreib Facility producing moulds and tools in Baghdad suburb of Zafaraniyah Health laboratory, central Baghdad Resin and fibreglass plants near al Taji, north of Baghdad Al Mahmoudiayah water treatment facility south of Baghdad Agriculture Ministry site, Abu Ghreib

It adds more than 50 items to the Goods Review List, which was originally adopted in May, including chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs, electronics, mechanical equipment, boats and vehicles.

The list was negotiated earlier this year, but Washington has insisted on expanding it.

The BBC's Greg Barrow at the UN says there has been widespread speculation that the US was using the list as a way of limiting Iraq's military capability ahead of a possible military intervention.

However, American diplomats maintain that they regard the list merely as a way of streamlining sanctions and speeding up the delivery of humanitarian goods to Iraq.

Moscow objected to the inclusion in the list of Russian-made heavy trucks, which it says are purely for civilian use.

France initially opposed the inclusion of certain antibiotics which could be used to protect Iraqi soldiers using chemical weapons, but accepted a compromise limiting the ban to high doses of the drugs.

Syria, which is Baghdad's closest ally on the Security Council, was not expected to support the resolution.