FBI's James Comey said that police stopped plots to 'kill people on July 4th'

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The plots were linked to the Islamic State terror group who planned attacks
They were stopped by federal agents who ramped up security efforts
In recent months they arrested Islamic State sympathizers across the U.S.
At least 10 'sympathizers' of the terrorist group were taken into custody
Comey warned that a vast number of Westerners are attracted by ISIS

By Belinda Robinson For Dailymail.com and Ap

Published: 14:14 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 16:26 EST, 9 July 2015

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FBI Director James Comey said that law enforcement officials stopped an undisclosed number of plots to 'kill people in the United States' over the Fourth of July holiday.

The plots were linked to the Islamic State terror group who wanted to carry out attacks which would have caused mayhem across the country.

But they were thwarted by federal agents who have ramped up security efforts in recent months to arrest Islamic State sympathizers across the country.

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Fightback: FBI Director James Comey said that law enforcement stopped an undisclosed number of plots to 'kill people in the United States' over the Fourth of July holiday

Holiday attacks: The plots were linked to the Islamic State terror group who wanted to carry out attacks which would have caused mayhem across the country on July 4

In the past four months, at least 10 people who were considered to be 'sympathizers' of the terrorist group were taken into custody in New Jersey, Ohio and North Carolina.

And this, Comey said, had helped to prevent ISIS from carrying through their plans.

However, the FBI director refused to elaborate on what those plans were or who exactly was being targeted.

In the run up to July 4, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a warning of possible terror activity during the holiday.

Comey said that a vast number of Westerners are attracted by the Islamic State's message. This makes things very unpredictable for federal authorities to be sure of their plans.

Whereas Al-Qaida would train operatives and carefully scope out targets, the concern among law enforcement officials is that the Islamic State is motivating people to commit violence 'on a very short string.'

Warnings: In the run up to July 4, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a warning of possible terror activity during the holiday

Sympathizers: Samuel Rahamin Topaz, 21, of Fort Lee, left, was charged with conspiring to travel overseas to join ISIS. Topaz was recruited by a college student, Munther Omar Saleh, 20, from Queens, right,

Boston police shoot dead terror suspect in confrontation

Comey said: 'We face people who are highly unpredictable. We cannot count on the fact that they'll be looking to do something on July fourth, so July third, we really got to lock these guys up.'

He added: 'This is sort of the new normal.'

He cited as an example the case of a 26-year-old terror suspect who was fatally shot by police in Boston last month after authorities said he lunged at them with a military-style knife.

Usaamah Abdullah Rahim was a CVS security guard living in a quiet suburb of Boston.

Authorities said he had been scheming with other men, both now facing charges, of plotting to kill a conservative blogger known for provoking Muslims.

In another case, Samuel Rahamin Topaz, 21, of Fort Lee, was charged with conspiring to travel overseas to join ISIS.

Topaz was recruited by a college student, Munther Omar Saleh, 20, from Queens who was also arrested in May for plotting to build a pressure cooker bomb.

Saleh, who was a student at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology wrote that 'AQ,' believed to refer to Al-Qaeda, 'could be getting too moderate.'

The pair communicated over the internet and by phone.

Comey said that some of the people who had been arrested in the last month had been communicating on encrypted platforms - a concern he discussed before Congress on Wednesday.

But, in an attempt to prevent attacks to coincide with July 4, agents had been able to use other means to intercept would-be terrorists and sympathizers.