Eid works to build Muslim trust

At metro mosque, U.S. attorney cites shared heritage

Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 19, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Local News

More stories »

Colorado U.S. Attorney Troy Eid stood before about 70 Muslim men and women Friday night and spoke of his pride in being part Egyptian from his father's side.

Eid said he grew up facing prejudices because of his dark complexion and told the story of how angry he became when his father fell seriously ill after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and was hospitalized. A physician remarked that he believed he had one of the missing hijackers in the hospital room, Eid recalled.

Accompanied by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Gaouette, Eid met with the Arab-American community at the Colorado Muslim Society in southeast Denver to build trust and a better understanding of the legal system in the wake of last month's deportation of a Pakistani immigrant and allegations that local and federal authorities mistreated him and his family.

"You're looking at the first U.S. attorney . . . to be Arab," Eid started out as the audience politely listened.

But a moderator, who identified himself only as Mohammed, continued to raise the issue of Haroon Rashid, the Pakistani immigrant who was convicted in Arapahoe County for misdemeanor assault and prosecuted by Gaouette for allegedly making false statements to the government about a relative he was helping to bring to the U.S.

Gaouette eventually dismissed the federal case against Rashid, the husband of an American wife and the father of four children who are U.S. citizens.

Members of the Muslim community have alleged that federal immigration authorities intervened with the Arapahoe County district attorney's office in the prosecution of Rashid.

Rashid, it turned out, was investigated by the federal Joint Terrorism Task Force after the Sept. 11, 2001, plane hijackings, but never was charged with committing acts of terrorism.

Critics have claimed federal agents sought a tough prosecution of Rashid compared with other misdemeanor cases.

But Eid and Gaouette reminded the audience that they were not involved in the state prosecution of Rashid, but that his case was decided by a jury, and the sentence was handed down by a judge.

Rashid's conviction led to a ruling by an immigration judge that he should be deported back to Pakistan. The ruling was upheld by the appellate court, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his case.

Eid said Rashid's case followed due course.

"I was here when the deportation took place, and I supported the deportation," the top prosecutor said.

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News