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TeamapproachtoproblemofSatanismBy PETE REYNOLDSA south suburban police chief Wednesday said he recently learned that a young woman in this area “breeds babies for . . . ritualistic sacrifice.”Matteson Police Chief Donald Story, a nationally recognized expert on ritualistic crime and criminal aspects of the occult, declined to specifically identify the town or village in which the “breeder” is supposed to live.But he said the information came directly from a teen-age satanist who, for a time, was trying to break away from a locally-based devil worship cult.“He didn’t make it,” Story said. “He’s back in the cult and won’t have anything to do with us. We lost him.”Calling for a unified or team approach to the growing menace of ritualistic crime in this area, a number of south suburban professionals met in Matteson Wednesday night to learn about $atanism and cults and to formulate a policy on the subject.Law enforcement leaders, tillage and school officials — including counselors, teachers, deans and administrators — and a Sixth district Circuit court judge all agreed to keep in touch and communicate on the subject by sharing information and assisting in referrals when local youths appear to have gotten in over their heads.The mini-seminar, attended by approximately 65 people, was cosponsored by Edward Zabrocki, mayor of Tinley Park and Mark Strieker. Matteson village president, “proving our two villages can and do work together,” Strieker said at the beginning of the meeting.“Over the past several months there appears to be an increase in Satanic worship among our young people, Zabrocki said“Parents, school personnel and the local police are often at a loss as to the extent of the interest. Is the -threat real or just a fad? How extensive is it? Where does fact end and fiction begin?” Zabrocki asked rhetorically. “We plead ignorance on the subject.”Opening with his standard disclaimer that the worship of Satan is protected by the U.S. Constitution and that he is not “here to put downanybody’s belief system,” Chief Story said: “This will be shocking. Some ofyou won’t believe it.”After showing a 20-minute video overview, he briefly explained the four recognized levels of Satanic involvement, keying on the experimental level or “dabbler stage as the level that is “the one we’re most concerned with at this point,” Story said.“We learn from the survivors,” he added.Story told of one teen-age boy who wanted to break away from what the chief described as a “serious Satanic group made up of young people and adults” that allegedly is conducting sacrificial rituals in, and recruiting members from, the immediate area.“I thought we’d be able to save him,” Story said. “He showed us around the area pointing out places in the forest preserves and in a residential area near here where he said rituals had been carried out.”Story said, however, that the youth was so hopelessly stoned on various drugs during many of the rituals that much of the information police obtained was hazy.It was this youth from whom Storyand Matteson detectives learned of the alleged “breeder — a 16-year-old girl who becomes impregnated for the purpose of delivering a baby to be sacrificed nine or 10 months later. “It’s an unrecorded birth,” Story said.The baby’s death also is unrecorded.“We lost him before we got anywhere with him,” Story said.One of the most prominent and frightening indicators of an increase in Satanism is the number of teen suicides that have been linked to Satanic dabbling in this area, Story said.“We have missed the boat on this. There have been recent suicides that are definitely satanically involved. Anumber of south suburban kids havebeen institutionalized for attemptingsuicides over the last few years,” he said.“This is not the time for paranoia,” Story warned.4 Mb“You should not go home and throw out all of junior’s heavy metal music tapes” Story said, nor forbid him to wear a rock T-shirt, nor tell him he may not participate in fantasy role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons.(According to Story that game has been linked to more than 20 suicides across the nation.)But if a parent believes a son or daughter is having problems, professional help should be sought immediately, he said. Since summer, Story said he receives “at least one call a day” from a worried parent or educator.Story urged all who attended themeeting to continue to communicate and share information in hopes ofVillage trustees consider effectsof prohibiting sale of handgunsBy M.J. ST ARSHAKSouth Holland village officials are considering the effects of a proposed ordinance to ban the sale and manufacture of handguns in that community.The village, a home rule municipality, may ban the sale and manufacture of handguns and restrict the sale of rifles if a proposed ordinance goes into effect.During a committee meeting last week, members of the village board of trustees discussed the ordinance, which originated after a resident’s request to open a gun shop on South Park avenue. The resident, JamesOkleshen, later withdrew his request“When the subject came up, there was an overwhelming support for the passing of a handgun ordinance from •the people of South Holland,” said Trustee Dr. William McCarthy.The ordinance that was originally discussed prohibited the sale of handguns to all but peace officers (wardens, sheriffs, members of militia, etc.), but would allow the sale of rifles.The north suburb of Deerfield passed an ordinance similar to the one discussed by the committee, except that it prohibits the sale of handguns to anyone, including peace officers. Antique guns. BB guns and signalling guns are excluded from the Deerfield ordinance.Trustee Richard Zimmerman said he preferred the Deerfield ordinance because “you still have loopholes with guns being sold to peace officers. Firearms create more problems than they solve.”He suggested banning the sale of rifles as well, but McCarthy pointed out that the majority of crimes committed with guns are committed with handguns.“There aren’t that many cases where you hear of crimes being committed with rifles, except on TV, said McCarthy.“I don’t think anyone would be any happier to see a store full of rifles go up next to the park or recreation department,” Zimmerman continued. “Kids walking to school don’t need to see a store full of handguns. I don’t think they would feel better either direction. It’s still a weapon.” Trustee Warren Teichler pointed out that a store that sold handguns only to peace officers wouldn’t stay in business long. He recommendedbanning the sale of handguns, but allowing the sale of rifles only in restricted areas. Rifles would be allowed only for special use, such as hunting.Persons wishing to purchase rifles would be judged on an individual basis, said Zimmerman.The ordinance that the committee recommended bans the sale of handguns, except antiques, BB guns, starter guns, signalling guns and the like. The ordinance would allow the sale of rifles in restricted areas to persons judged worthy by city officials.The committee was quick to point out that this ordinance would ban the sale of handguns, but would not force private individuals already owning firearms to get rid of them“I’m an avid hunter. I’ve huntedever since I was a kid,” said SouthHolland resident Willie Henning. “Iwouldn’t want it said that I couldn’t own one (a gun).”“I’ve owned guns for over 50 years.I have a couple of collector’s pieces I don’t want to be forced to get rid of them,” said Henning. “Some of them have sentimental value.”rbecoming well-versed on a subject that no one gave much credence to as little as five years ago.He particularily urged educators to learn all they can and to carefully watch for indications that a student or a group of students are dabbling with satanic rituals.“Teachers can be the first level of recognition. From what you see and what you hear you can get a pretty good idea of just how serious a student is about this. Like cops, teachers have snitches too,” he said.When a student has been identified as being involved, Story said, “Be careful in how you approach him or her.”If the approach is not carefully planned, the teacher’s best intentions could drive the student “underground,” possibly losing the only opportunity to keep them from falling prey.“It’s not a police problem. It’s not a school problem. It is a community problem,” Story said, chiding villageeyedofficials in other towns who have in the past “refused to believe” it exists.“Elected officials don’t want to acknowledge it,” Story said. “But it’s here and it’s not going to go away.”Strieker called for a “grass roots programming tn Hpvplnn” a nAlim*on youth and satanic worship and dabbling.Cook county Circuit court Judge Edwin Richardson urged municipalities to adopt local ordinances to assist in the “intradiction” of the devil without involving the troubled juvenile with the state courts.Educators, who expressed concerns there still is not enough “how to” information on helping students troubled by their own involvment in satanic activity, said they too would continue to communicate about the problem and agreed to meet informally in smaller groups to discuss the problems they face together.An in-depth, three-day conference on ritualistic crime and the occult is planned for late April in Matteson.r
Newspaper Details
Alsip Star
Alsip, Illinois, US
Sun, Dec 11, 1988
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Jacob S.
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