Indonesian Islamic Fundamentalists Cheer Obama Win

Excerpted from Adnkronos International:

Jakarta - Nov. 5 - Representatives of some of Indonesia’s fundamentalist Islamic groups on Wednesday celebrated United States President-elect Barack Obama’s sweeping victory in Tuesday’s presidential polls, claiming the win will be good for interracial relations and world peace...

Achmad Sobry Lubis, secretary general of the militant, anti-American Front Pambela Islam (FPI) said that he “praised Allah for Obama’s win.”

“This is what we all wanted and we are now very hopeful that he can restore peace in the world."...

He also said that Obama’s multicultural upbringing should give him the tools to better understand the Muslim world...

Founded in 1998, the FPI has gained notoriety for violent raids on bars and nightclubs during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The FPI has also stated it intends to send ‘mujahadeen’ to fight the US and Israel. Its two leaders, Rizieq Shihab and Munarman, were last week sentenced to 18 months in jail for organising an attack against a pro-freedom of religion rally held in Jakarta on June 1.

Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, where he attended a local elementary school.