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A website serving Calgary Muslims has raised eyebrows by making a lengthy pitch for female circumcision, arguing the practice has “immense” value and blaming its poor reputation on Jewish-controlled media.

The provocative blog post by a foreign Islamic scholar drew strong rebukes this week from researchers and advocates concerned about female-genital mutilation, and from a major Jewish group.

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It also resurrected questions about whether genital cutting of young women is taking place in Canada, despite being a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The essay advocates only removing the prepuce, or layer of skin, over the clitoris, calling it similar to taking off the foreskin in male circumcision. But all forms of female genital cutting have been outlawed here since 1997.

One expert on FGM said she’s worried the authoritative-sounding article could send the wrong message to Muslim families.