Despite a couple of isolated incidents in Laramie, many Wyoming Muslims say they were spared backlash from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

In Cheyenne, a small group of about eight Muslim families was invited to speak at various churches shortly after 9/11.

"We were all nervous, but the community was wonderful," said Arshi Nisley, a native of Pakistan and now an instructor in English at Laramie County Community College.

Mohammed Salih, a native of Sudan in East Africa who came to Cheyenne in 1969 and is dean of the LCCC business and technology department, agreed.

"We never had one incident of harassment or anything," he said. "We had support from everybody after 9/11." [Link]