The National Security Ministry in Azerbaijan announced that it had discovered and prevented a large-scale terrorist attack that was targeting the government structures and diplomatic missions in the capital Baku. The plotters were the members of an Islamic group of which one was killed and several other were arrested outside the Azerbaijan’s capital.

The terrorists attempt to attack the government buildings determined the British Embassy in Baku to close its operation with the public until things clam down.

The United States embassy also reduced its operations after finding out about the terrorist threat and announced US citizens it had closed its consular office for an indefinite period. The embassy announcement also encouraged Americans to "maintain a high level of vigilance."

In accordance with the statement released by the National Security Ministry, the radical Islamic group was planning to use the ammunition stolen by a one of its members who’s an army lieutenant. He had stolen 20 hand grenades, a machine gun, four assault rifles and ammunition from his military unit in order to supply the group for the planned attack.

The police investigators tracked down the radical group and trapped them during one of their meetings in the village of Mastaga about 20 miles northeast of Baku. Several members were arrested, while one of them was gunned down for resisting the arrest.

"That prevented a large-scale, horrifying terror attack that was being prepared by members of this group against several state structures in Baku and embassies and missions of the countries which are members of the international anti-terror coalition," the ministry statement wrote. The hunt for other members of the radical group is still under way, the statement added.

Arif Babayev, the ministry spokesman, stated that the Islamic radical group was plotting to launch a "terror attack against several government structures in Baku and the US Embassy."