(CNN) -- The U.S. government allegedly spied on prominent American Muslims under the same program it used to keep tabs on suspected terrorists, according to documents held by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden. Journalists Glenn Greenwald and Murtaza Hussain, writing for The Intercept, said Snowden provided them documents that show that at least five American Muslims were monitored by their own government for periods between 2002 and 2008. The names of Republican Party operative and lawyer Faisal Gill; attorney Asim Ghafoor; international relations professor Hooshang Amirahmadi; Muslim civil liberties advocate Agha Saeed; and the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Affairs, Nihad Awad, all appear on a spreadsheet that purportedly lists individuals under NSA, CIA or FBI digital surveillance.
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NEW: "My No. 1 reaction was of shock and surprise," a Muslim-American says
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NEW: "If it's my clients that's causing it...that's a reason for pause," another says
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The report is based on documents leaked by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden
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The Justice Department says it does not spy based on religious views
"Look, I've never made an appearance or been a lawyer for anyone who's been (associated with terrorism)," he told @placeholder.