Friday for their roles in female genital mutilation. Dr.
Fakhruddin Attar is accused of letting Dr. Jumana Nagarwala
perform mutilations at his Burhani Medical Clinic on
Farmington Road. His wife, office manager Farida Attar, also
was arrested and is accused of helping Nagarwala perform
the mutilations, according to a 14-page complaint unsealed
Friday in a US federal court.
The arrests are the latest development in the nation’s first
female genital mutilation case, which is providing insight into
a small, insular Muslim community in Metro Detroit and an
illegal procedure performed on young girls.
Earlier this year, Nagarwala allegedly mutilated two 7-year-
old girls from Minnesota. The complaint also describes a
conspiracy involving at least Nagarwala, Attar and his wife —
all three are members of the Dawoodi Bohra religious
community based locally out of a Farmington Hills mosque.
Attar, 52, and his 50-year-old wife were arraigned in federal
court Friday afternoon and ordered jailed until a detention
hearing Wednesday. Both were dressed in the distinctive
attire of Dawoodi Bohra members — he wore a white cap with
gold trim, while his wife wore a long teal dress and head
covering with pink fringe.
“Dr. Attar is not aware of any crimes committed at his
clinic,” defense lawyer Mary Chartier told reporters
outside court. “This is frightening for them and
terrifying.”
She criticized the government for waiting until Friday to arrest
the doctor. She said:
“It’s classic gamesmanship by the government,
knowing they would spend the weekend in custody,”
she said. “I’m not surprised the government would
pull that stunt.”
Gina Balaya, the U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman, said
prosecutors were prepared to hold a detention hearing Friday,
during which U.S. Magistrate Judge David Grand could have
decided whether to release the couple on bond. “As reflected
in open court, it was at the request of the defense that the
hearing be set for Wednesday,” Balaya said.
The couple was arrested around 9:30 a.m. Friday at Burhani
Medical Clinic and federal agents were spotted inside. An
eyewitness, Kate McCarty said she watched Attar’s arrest
Friday after he arrived in the parking lot and is shaken by
allegations of mutilations that allegedly happened next door
to her office.
“What do you think? It’s disgusting,” McCarty said. “I
mean, it’s terrible.”
The arrests come 11 days after agents raided the clinic amid
an investigation triggered by the two Minnesota girls who
were brought to Metro Detroit in February and subjected to
female genital mutilation. Attar and his wife were charged
with conspiracy to commit female genital mutilation and
aiding and abetting female genital mutilation.
Nagarwala, meanwhile, was charged in federal court April 12
and is being held without bond on charges that could send
her to federal prison for life.
Source: NY Daily News/The Detroit News
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