The National Fatwa Council today banned Muslims from taking part in a "satanic heavy metal cult", calling the musical genre un-Islamic.

It issued the religious decree against the "black metal cult", citing practices in which members stamp on the holy Koran, drink alcohol and freely engage in sex.

Council chair Shukor Husin said state religious authorities were in the process of gazetting legislation banning the music style in sharia or Islamic law and that its Muslim followers could be prosecuted.

"We are waiting for state religious authorities to gazette this fatwa under the sharia crime enactment," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Shukor said that the cult's practices, based on US rock band Metallica which has used symbols including an inverted cross, went against the teachings of Islam and could propel a Muslim out of the religion.

However, he said, merely listening to heavy metal songs was not a crime.

Media exposes

Malaysian lawmakers in October called for an investigation into the music, accusing it of corrupting young people.

A religious official in northern Kedah state also said authorities were worried about groups of teenage black metal fans, who wore black clothes and eye make-up and were prone to loitering in shopping malls.

Black metal, an offshoot of heavy metal music, is known for its satanic or pagan influences and occult imagery.

The music gained notoriety in Malaysia in 2001 after a series of media exposes on young black metal fans, including lurid stories about ritualistic practices such as drinking blood.

But Malaysian fans and black metal bands have defended the music, saying the rituals are harmless and part of the genre.