Bin Laden Wins Turner Prize

Osama Bin Laden 'Delighted' After Winning 2001 Turner Prize

Osama bin Laden was said to be delighted yesterday after winning the
prestigious Turner Prize for modern art, in a move which has sparked public
outrage, much to the delight of the prize organisers.

Bin Laden beat off stiff competition to win with his piece entitled 'Yes, I Do
Remember Where I Was On September 11th Thank You Very Much,' described
as 'a groundbreaking performance piece in mixed media, utilising steel and
kerosene.'

"We don't expect everyone to agree with us" said judge Christopher Bagley.
"We carefully considered all the moral and artistic implications of our decision,
and the final consensus was that it would really piss people off and get us
loads of publicity if we gave Osama the prize, so we did."

In a statement issued to Al Jazeera television, bin Laden said, "I am so very
happy that my many years of work have finally gained the recognition it
deserves. I wish to thank all the judges and the Tate Gallery for awarding me
this prize. And to Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin: You can kiss my hairy
Muslim ass."

Bin Laden's work, regarded until now as an act of terrorism, was hailed by the
panel of judges as "a superb demonstration of über-irony: a bravura
inflection of filmic devices that both homages and supersedes the idiom."

Brian Sewell was unavailable for comment.