Yousef Al-Banali, a computer programmer at Qatar University has had a close encounter with the devil worshippers. One day, while studying at Seattle in Washington State, he was going to the library to do some research and homework, he saw some fellow students, all teenagers, wearing black dress and long hair. Being curious, he went to them to find out more.

They were " very friendly " and told Yousef that they worshipped the devil. They invited him to join the group and said as a member, he could have free sex and uninterrupted supply of drugs. Thought the offer was " tempting", Yousef resisted but told them that he would think about it. He was also invited to visit their church in California. This he also turned down on advice from a policeman friend who said it might be dangerous.

Yousef noted that most of those teenagers came from a rich background. They were also involved in a musical bands which were "famous".

Though Yousef withstood the temptation, his curiosity was triggered and he started research on the subject. He went to the library and read whatever was available. The result was Obbad al- Shaitan or Satan worship. A 150-page book on a devil worship.

The book, the first on the subject to be published in Qatar, was an instant shell-out, Yousef told Gulf Times yesterday. He has already ordered a reprint, which should be out on the stands by next month and is panning to have it translated into English and Urdu.

During his research, Yousef found that the Satan Worshippers had their first church established in San Francisco, California, in 1966 by a man called Anton LaVey.

The books on the devil worshippers gave Yousef gory details about the rituals and practices by them. Some of them sacrificed human babies during their rituals. The babies, preferably from three months to three years old, were tortured before being killed. Yousef said.

The belief was, if the child was made to suffer, it was easy for the worshipper to "grape" his soul when it went out of the body. Yousef sources said.

Babies are chosen because their souls are clean, Yousef quotes Aleister Crowley, said to be the leading figure among devil worshippers, as writing in his book. If no babies are found, animals are used for the rituals.

Some of the Satanists practiced black magic s well. In his book Yousef calls the two phenomena " two sides of the same coin ",

Yousef found that there was some connection between Satanism and Hitler as also between free Masons and Satanism.

Yousef, Who has read books on other religions as well, notes the same Satanists believe in God while others regard Lucifer as their God. Some reckon hell is a pleasant place while others feel Satan will take well care of them, Yousef said many of them don't believe in the Day of Judgment. In every case, they do the extreme opposite of what religions preach.

Yousef noted that the Satan Worshippers had branches in England, France, Germany and Africa. Certain Arab countries have similar groups but they are not connected, Yousef said. Called Al-Yazidiya, they are mainly found in northern Iraq, Iran and Syria.

Gulf Times; Jan,17, 1997.