Tamil Nadu police yesterday claimed to have foiled plots to plant bombs across the state, in Chennai and Tirunelveli, before August 15, and arrested one person with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and a timer.

Highly placed sources revealed that Ali Abdullah, a convict lodged in the Puzhal prison in connection with eight different cases bomb blasts, had masterminded the plots.

Police arrested Abdul Gaffur and recovered materials used for making an IED.

He was picked up from a relative's house at Pettai in Tirunelveli following specific information.