WASHINGTON, Aug 3: Six American and Muslim civil liberties groups have filed a lawsuit against the USA Patriot Act, which they believe vastly expands the FBI’s powers to spy on ordinary people living in the United States.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Detroit, Michigan, names Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller as the defendants.

The Patriot Act was approved by a large majority in US Congress soon after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. But opinions have differed since then with some lawmakers criticizing the act for unfairly targeting minorities and giving too much power to the FBI.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which is the main complainant in the lawsuit, claims that the Patriot Act violated constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The ACLU also says the Patriot Act is meant to go after Muslim and Iraqi Americans.