The four were detained in separate raids across the country on Sunday after authorities were tipped off by messages in a Telegram channel, where one suspect tried to recruit members and purchase firearms.

Terror-related arrests are rare in the Balkan country, where violent crime rates are relatively low and religious extremism has been a marginal issue.

According to the public prosecutor’s office, the group had been under investigation for months before establishing “reasonable suspicion that they committed a criminal offence of a terrorist organisation”.

“The organisation, based on the ideology of the well-known terrorist group ISIS, intended to carry out a terrorist act against civilians — soft targets and public facilities,” the prosecutor’s office said, referring to the Islamic State group.

The group was allegedly led by a 21-year-old suspect who shared translated ISIS materials, recruited members, tried to buy firearms and shared instructions for making improvised explosives, the prosecutor’s added.

North Macedonia’s minister of interior Pance Toskovski said authorities were assisted by “friendly countries” during the investigation.

“Their intention was to indoctrinate other people from the Balkans who could act accordingly towards realising their goals,” said Toskovski.

A pre-trial judge from the Skopje Basic Court approved 30 days of detention for the suspects on Monday as they await trial.

dd/ds/jm

© Agence France-Presse