The Air Force Academy has established an outdoor worship area for followers of Wicca, Druidism and other Earth-centred religions.

It is a double circle of stones atop a hill on the campus near Colorado Springs, which has been designated for cadets and other service personnel in the area so that they can practise their religious beliefs.

Father Jonathan Morris calls the decision, "politically correct cowardice by bumbling bureaucrats," adding, "behind the smoke and mirrors of the supposed high demand for 'Earth worship prayer circles' is a small group of activist atheists in America who seek first to water-down and then to abolish the name and face of God from the public square."

Moreover, the school provides worship facilities in the campus so that Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists personnel the freedom to practice their religion of choice.

Since a 2004 survey of cadets found instances of harassment, religious tolerance has cropped up as an issue there.

Last month, the U. N.'s climate scientists admitted to have resorted to use faulty research as evidence global warming would lead the Himalayan glaciers to melt by 2035.

However, now the London Telegraph claims that the two sources of that U. N. report were a student dissertation and an article in a mountaineering magazine.

Religious tolerance has become an issue there since a 2004 survey of cadets found instances of harassment.