Dozens of nations dominated by Islam are pressing the United Nations to adopt an anti-'defamation' plan that would make Christians criminals under international law, according to a United States organization that has launched a campaign to defend freedom of religion worldwide.

'Around the world, Christians are being increasingly targeted, and even persecuted, for their religious beliefs. Now, one of the largest organizations in the United Nations is pushing to make a bad situation even worse by promoting anti-Christian bigotry,' the American Center for Law & Justice said yesterday in announcing its petition drive.

The discrimination is 'wrapped in the guise of a U.N. resolution called 'Combating Defamation of Religions,'' the announcement said. 'We must put an immediate end to this most recent, dangerous attack on faith that attempts to criminalize Christianity.' ...