On Monday, a group of computer hackers and human rights campaigners have sued the German federal government government for aiding foreign spies. The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) and the International League for Human Rights (ILMR), have filed a criminal complaint with the Federal Prosecutor General's office. In the complaint, the groups accuse US, British and German secret agents, their supervisors, the German Minister of the Interior as well as the German Chancelor of "illegal and prohibited covert intelligence activities, of aiding and abetting of those activities, of violation of the right to privacy and obstruction of justice in office by bearing and cooperating with the electronic surveillance of German citizens by NSA and GCHQ."

With this criminal complaint, the groups hope to initiate investigations by the Federal Prosecutor General against the German government.

"Every citizen is affected by the massive surveillance of their private communications. Our laws protect us and threatens those responsible for such surveillance with punishment. Therefore an investigation by the Federal Prosecutor General is necessary and mandatory by law ? and a matter of course. It is unfortunate that those responsible and the circumstances of their crimes have not been investigated," says Dr. Julius Mittenzwei, attorney and long time member of the CCC.

In the criminal complaint, the groups ask to hear technical expert and Edward Snowden as a witness, and that he be provided safe passage and protection against extradition to the US.