Crackdown continues on black metal cult

Police in Malaysia have seized merchandising linked to a black metal group accused of promoting devil worship.

The haul from three days of raids includes 59 T-shirts, 36 video compact discs, 14 video tapes, six books and four posters.

The owners of three shops in Perak facing criminal charges for selling the items deny knowingly committing an offence.

If they are convicted, they could be fined 20,000 Malaysian ringgits (about £3,700) or jailed for six months under the Printing and Publication Act 1984 and the Film Act 1951, the New Straits Times reports.

Meanwhile, 40 students from a secondary school in Puchong have been identified as followers of a black metal group. They were identified by black metal tattoos on their bodies and arms.

An organisation set up to campaign against the black metal cult will send a petition to the Prime Minister and six ministries on August 1.

The Integrated Action Council to Curb Black Metal told The Star they want the government to ban all black metal music groups.

The petition also calls for a ban on the import, sale and production of black metal albums and related accessories.