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• On the morning of November 12, 2008, fake copies of The New York Times newspaper with a headline reading "Iraq War Ends" were distributed at busy subway stations in New York City. According to reports, the bogus 14-page newspapers, dated July 9, 2009, were thought to be the work of a group of "liberal pranksters" known as The Yes Men. Within hours, The Yes Men issued a statement claiming responsibility for the hoax.City Room (NYT): Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof Gawker: Fake New York Times Declares Iraq War Over! Here's Who Did It

• Fast Facts

  1. Fake New York Times newspaper surfaced on November 12, 2008Gawker: Fake New York Times Declares Iraq War Over! Here's Who Did It
  2. Bogus newspaper distributed to morning commuters in New York CityGawker: Fake New York Times Declares Iraq War Over! Here's Who Did It
  3. Front page headline: "Iraq War Ends"Gawker: Fake New York Times Declares Iraq War Over! Here's Who Did It
  4. Other headlines: "Court Indicts Bush on High Treason Charge," "National Health Insurance Act Passes" and "Maximum Wage Law Passes Congress"
  5. Prank group The Yes Men claimed responsibility for the elaborate hoaxCity Room (NYT): Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof
  6. Fake web site set up at www.nytimes-se.com
  7. The Yes Men reportedly used a web site they own to rally volunteers to pass out bogus newspapersGawker: Fake New York Times Declares Iraq War Over! Here's Who Did It

• Yes Men Statement

  "In an elaborate operation six months in the planning, 1.2 million papers were printed at six different presses and driven to prearranged pickup locations, where thousands of volunteers stood ready to pass them out on the street."City Room (NYT): Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof

• Quotes

  "This is obviously a fake issue of The Times. We are in the process of finding out more about it."—Catherine J. Mathis, spokesman for The New York TimesCity Room (NYT): Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof

  "I would say if you've got one, hold on to it. It will probably be a collector's item. I'm just glad someone thinks The New York Times print edition is worthy of an elaborate hoax. A Web spoof would have been infinitely easier. But creating a print newspaper and handing it out at subway stations? That takes a lot of effort."—Alex S. Jones, director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy SchoolCity Room (NYT): Liberal Pranksters Hand Out Times Spoof

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  The New York Times | Survivaball | New York City | Iraq War | Iran Fake Missile Photo | UFOs over Haiti | Georgia Bigfoot Hoax | NC Amber Alert Hoax | Steve Fossett Hoax | How to Check Out a Hoax

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