Boston ? Muslim groups and civil libertarians demanded an apology from Gov. Mitt Romney on Friday for his comments about wiretapping mosques and monitoring foreign students. But the governor refused, saying he was only advocating for improved homeland security.

The groups delivered a letter to Romney that said “your desire to wiretap mosques is an affront to the values and principles that make America a great country.” The groups include the American Civil Liberties Union and various mosques and Islamic organizations.

After the letter was delivered, spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the governor would not apologize or retract his comments.

Romney made the remarks Wednesday during a speech in Washington at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. He referred to the state’s 120 colleges and universities and speculated about students who are from countries that sponsor terrorism, asking “Do we know where they are, are we tracking them?”

He also spoke about gathering intelligence at mosques “that may be teaching doctrines of hate and terror.”