Hackers Union of China (HUC), the earliest and
largest hacker group in China and thought to rank number five in
the world in terms of size, has announced its dissolution and shut
down its website.
Membership of the group was once as high as 80,000
and it organized many website attacks on overseas government sites
as well as those of schools and private companies, and engaged in
virtual skirmishes with groups of foreign hackers.
It often reacted to international incidents with
knee-jerk and supposedly patriotic messages, targeting anyone they
saw as their enemy with statements about being ‘willing to die for
the motherland.’
According to Shenzhen's media, one of founders of
HUC, who uses the code name Lion, claimed in an open letter that
the union has existed in name only for a long time because they are
no longer passionate about their group, and its website has been
closed down several times before.
“However,” he added, “I am reluctant to let go of
things that accompanied me while I grew up. That is why HUC has
lasted so long."
(Chinanews.com CRI.com February 22, 2005)