For information on the Canadian Middle East Information Centre (CMEIC), please consult the attached letter faxed to the DIRB on 18 February 1997.

The following information was provided during a 28 January 1997 telephone interview with the Toronto representative of CMEIC.

The source stated that among CMEIC's activities are assisting the Muslim community of the Toronto region to set up Islamic schools and selling Arabic literature. The source added that CMEIC distributes two Islamic newspapers: al-Zahitouna and Muslim World Monitor. These two publications are downloaded from the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) Internet home page. A subscription is required in order to download these publications.

The following information was provided during a 19 February 1997 telephone interview with a professor of political science at the University of Calgary. The source has an academic interest in Islamic groups in Canada.

The source stated that the Islamic Association for Palestine is ideologically close to fundamentalist groups such as Hamas. The source is not aware of any organizational or administrative links between the Islamic Association for Palestine and radical groups such as Hamas, but did not exclude the possibility of individual relationships between members of IAP and such organizations.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Canadian Middle East Information Centre (CMEIC), Toronto. 28 January 1997. Telephone interview with Toronto representative.

Professor of political science, University of Calgary, Alberta. 19 February 1997. Telephone interview.

Canadian Middle East Information Centre (CMEIC), Montréal, Québec. n.d.. Letter faxed to the DIRB on 18 February 1997.

5 oral sources did not have information on this subject.