Excerpt:
Federal prosecutors unveiled charges Thursday against the mothers of two 7-year-old girls from Minnesota whose genitalia were cut during a religious procedure earlier this year.
Haseena Halfal, 34, of Plymouth, Minnesota, and Zainab Hariyanawala, 31, were indicted five months after federal prosecutors unveiled the first female genital mutilation case in U.S. history.
The mothers were charged with female genital mutilation and conspiracy to commit female genital mutilation, according to the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday.
Halfal is a U.S. citizen and has custody of her daughter and a son, defense lawyer Dan Homstad told The News. He said he plans a vigorous defense.