A/57/274 Hamayuni decree facilitated the construction and repair of churches, and 350 permits have been granted since Presidential decree No. 13 of 1998 empowering the governors to authorize religious denominations to proceed with the work of fortifying and restoring churches. As to measures to strengthen tolerance and wipe out extremism, the school curricula play an important role by emphasizing Coptic and Muslim history and human rights principles. International human rights principles are taught in police academies and in faculties of law, economics and political sciences. The contribution of the Egyptian media also deserves to be highlighted. 31. The Special Rapporteur wishes to stress the action taken by the Egyptian authorities to contain and prevent manifestations of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief and calls for continued vigilance in this regard. United States of America 32. By letter dated 11 December 2001, the Special Rapporteur informed the United States Government of the many allegations he had received with respect to the following incidents. 33. Since 11 September, there have reportedly been 520 violent incidents directed against Arab-Muslims, or those perceived to be such, and 27 confirmed cases in which persons perceived to be Arab-Muslims have been expelled from aircraft after or during boarding on the grounds that passengers or crew did not like the way they looked. Hundreds of cases of employment discrimination against Arab-Muslim Americans and others, including numerous terminations, have been reported as well as significant tensions in schools in some parts of the country where Arab-Muslim Americans or other students had problems with other students, and in a few cases with teachers and administration also. The United States Justice Department is said to have profiled 5,000 names of persons they want to talk with. Most of these are chosen on the basis of ethnic or religious profiling. The Special Rapporteur has also received a number of complaints regarding investigations involving alleged arbitrary and extended detention, denial of counsel and prisoners being held incommunicado. There have been, reportedly, as at 29 November 2001, a total of 1,452 incidents relating to the 11 September attack. 34. On 27 February 2002, the United States sent a reply, giving the following information: • Regarding the allegations of hate crimes, the United States gave a comprehensive account on the actions taken by the Department of Justice immediately after the attacks of 11 September to prevent such crimes and the measures adopted to respond to the surge in hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims and Sikhs (mistaken for Muslims), notably the creation of a Hate Crimes Working Group to monitor, investigate and prosecute those accused of committing such crimes. Three hundred inquiries have been opened by the National Origin Working Group. As at 3 December, there were 217 pending FBI investigations. Coordination between federal and local prosecutors has resulted in over 60 prosecutions, seven of which are detailed in the United States response. • Concerning the allegations of airline discrimination, the United States replied notably that, from 11 September 2001 to 4 January 2002, 19 complaints of incidents in which airlines removed passengers from flights, as well as 44 complaints alleging discrimination by air carriers, had been received and were currently being investigated. Directives had been sent by the Department of Transportation to remind United States carriers of the various federal statutes which prohibit unlawful discrimination against air travellers, and passengers had been encouraged to file complaints when they thought they had been subjected to discrimination. The United States also explained the procedure which followed the complaints. • Regarding work discrimination, as at 14 January 2002, 228 formal complaints of workplace discrimination specifically related to the attacks of 11 September had been received by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which undertook several actions with the employers. • It is true that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified approximately 5,000 persons living in the United States to be contacted for voluntary interviews, the purpose of which is to gather information about al-Qa`idah and other terrorist groups and not to investigate the individuals for 7