Apparently AnonOps has been something of a controller and obnoxious group treating new members with "condescention and arrogance" (yes it looks like a spellcheck is needed). The group is also guilty of running an insecure IRC network and potentially exposing the identities of people that use their servers. This last part was highlighted in the statement that was posted to Pastebin;

"Various attempts have been made in the past to course correct AnonOps, but the totalitarian IRC operator regime has remained intact. The AnonOps network prides itself in being 'secure', however, such is not the case. Rather, they employ incompetent and highly unprofessional channel and IRC operators, allowing their personal grudges to interfere with the operation of a secure network for Anonymous."

Although there is no direct link, we have to wonder if some of the recent ops that exposed innocent people to potential harm came from this group. It does seem that AnonOps has succeeded in making enough waves that the rest of the collective has decided to act. According to the information we have they have attacked and took the AnonOps IRC servers offline

"Over the course of the following months, it has become very clear to us that AnonOps no longer stands for the values of open speech, freedom of opinion and has instead transformed itself into a network rampent with trolls, abusive channel operators, and a generally unwelcoming place for those whom wish to communicate and gather to fight the powers of corruption, and those whom wish to censor our open internet,"

"A decentralized organization such as Anonymous cannot thrive on a network ran by such people as Power2All, Wolfy, Owen and Shitstorm," adds the post. "Anonymous transcends beyond one IRC network, or one social medium. Spread. Be aware. Educate. Anonymous is an idea; ideas are bulletproof."

This culling of the more disruptive members of the larger group will probably end up with more back and forth attacks which, while entertaining, does not really help out the cause that Anonymous says they stand for. It IS a method to getting back to a decentralized collective, which as we have said before is something that is almost impossible to penetrate and take down.

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