Two people charged with female genital mutilation were denied bail by a federal judge in Detroit today.
Dr. Fakhruddin Attar and his wife Farida Attar both face up to 20 years in prison for allegedly conspiring with Dr. Jumana Nagarwala to commit female genital cutting on minors.
They are also being charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly telling members of their Dawoodi Bohra community not to cooperate with federal investigators.
U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Stafford says Dr. Attar and his wife are a flight risk and a danger to the community, respectively.
Christie Otter has been a patient of Dr. Attar for over a decade.
She says she came to the courthouse to show support for him, despite what he allegedly knew about the procedures taking place at his clinic.
“Being a feminist, I certainly do not in any way support those procedures, but I had a kind doctor that I’ve lost,” she said.
Otter and her husband called Attar a good friend.
“We care very much for him and his wife, we know of his children and that didn’t go away with the accusations,” Louis Otter said.
Dr. Attar’s attorney didn’t provide comment after the hearing today, but previously said that the doctor is unaware of any illegal activity going on in his metro Detroit clinic.
