Music group, Izabo, representing Israel in 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. Photo: Eurovision.

Azerbaijan has arrested 40 people in connection with plans to commit terrorist attacks during the Eurovision Song Contest last weekend, which took place in the capital of Baku.

According to a statement from the National Security Ministry, the targets included religious sites, buildings used by police, the concert hall for the Eurovision contest, and a number of hotels used by foreign visitors, including the JW Marriot, where Israel’s competitor in the contest, Izabo, was staying.

“At first they placed three security guards with us, and then added more and more guards until there were 11 guards,” said Alon Amir, the publicist for Izabo. He added that no specific threats were relayed to the group during their stay.

Azerbaijan was the staging ground for a separate plot recently, where the assassinations of U.S., Saudi, and Israeli diplomats were being planned by terrorists linked to Iran.

“The main goal of the group was to stage terrorist acts in Baku during the Eurovision,” the National Security Ministry said in a statement. “As a result of the measures taken, 40 members of the group were arrested.”

The ministry says the terrorists have links to the Dagestan region of Russia, which neighbors Azerbaijan.