With some 20,000 hackers, the alliance was once the fifth largest in the world. Its Web site, set up at the end of 2000, had nearly 80,000 registered members at its peak.

The task of the alliance was to prevent hacking attacks from foreign countries. But the network was shut down last year for no specific reason, and its founder, nicknamed Lion, said in an e-mail that the Web site existed in name only.

A sophomore who majored in computer sciences at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu, is now responsible for personnel management of the group and the Web site maintenance, said Xinhua. 

China hackers shut shop

The student, surnamed Yang, said: "I can design a computer virus in a few minutes, which can 'disfunction' the use of mouse and computer, but I will not do this because the mission of a 'Red Hacker' member is to protect the Web sites from being attacked."

The Web site also has a supervision committee to supervise its members' behaviors and cancel memberships of those who violate its rule by attacking other Web sites, Xinhua said, quoting the Shenzhen Daily.

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