The Southeast Asian nation has been on high alert since gunmen allied with Daesh carried out a series of attacks in Jakarta, the capital of neighboring Indonesia, in January 2016.
The four suspects are two Rohingya from Myanmar, an Indonesian and a Malaysian, Inspector General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters.
Dubbed the “wolf pack” cell, he said its members had planned to launch large-scale attacks during the first week of Ramadan to avenge a Muslim fireman who was allegedly beaten to death during a racially charged riot at a Hindu temple in November.
The fireman’s death angered majority Malay Muslims, some of whom had accused Hindu leaders of inciting the riot through racial remarks.
“This cell had also planned an operation to assassinate high-profile personalities accused of insulting and failing to uphold Islam,” Abdul Hamid said in a video recording of a press conference seen by Reuters.
He declined to identify the targets of the planned killings.
Muslims all over the world fast during daylight hours during Ramadan.
Police also seized a gun and six homemade explosives during the arrests.