Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Malaysian Islamic authorities have banned all forms of "Black Metal" music and declared that its followers have deviated from Islamic teachings, reports said Tuesday.
The national Islamic council ruled Monday that the "Black Metal" culture, often termed as a Satanic heavy metal cult, completely went against Islamic principles and could lead Muslims astray, council chairman Shukor Husin said.
"It has been established that Black Metal practices are way against (Islam) and every effort must be taken to stop its spread," he was quoted as saying by the Star daily.
He said authorities believed that although "Black Metal" was just a form of music, its culture would lead followers to worship Satan and to rebel, kill and incite hatred.
Shukor also said that "Black Metal" culture influenced its followers to perform rituals such as drinking one's blood mixed with that of a goat and burning Islam's holy text, the Koran.
In December, Malaysian police detained 105 teenagers, including four girls, at a raid of a "Black Metal" concert where the youth were allegedly carrying out activities, such as sexual orgies, banned by Islam, the country's official religion.
The cult was first discovered in 2001, when authorities launched a crackdown on its approximately 150 members who were mostly ethnic Malay Muslim youth.