A group of computer hackers and human rights campaigners in Germany say they are suing their government for allegedly breaking the law by aiding foreign spies.

The Chaos Computer Club and the International League for Human Rights said they submitted a criminal complaint Monday, Feb 3, claiming that Chancellor Angela Merkel and her government tolerated spying and effectively even helped members of the U.S. National Security Agency and Britain's GCHQ to spy on German citizens.

The groups point to documents released by NSA leaker Edward Snowden as evidence.

In a statement they say the criminal complaint is meant to spark a "long-overdue investigation by federal prosecutors" into alleged lawbreaking by German officials and foreign spies.

Federal prosecutors have been considering for months whether to open an investigation of alleged NSA activities.