One of two Minnesota women charged with the female genital mutilation case underway in Detroit federal Court is expected to make her initial court appearance today.
34 year old Haseena Halfal and 31 year old Zainab Hariyanawala were charged with bringing their two seven year old daughters to the Detroit-area earlier this year.
Prosecutors say the girls were then handed over to Northville Doctor Jumana Nagarwala at a clinic in Livonia.
Defense attorneys say there was no mutilation, just a simple scraping as part of a religious procedure.
Prosecutors estimate up to 100 girls have been cut over the past 12 years.
Eight people have been charged in what is being called a conspiracy by a small sect of Shia Muslims from India.