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Counter-terror chiefs fear Islamist fanatics plan to launch deadly bomb attacks on the UK’s streets using unmanned toy drones.

Both MI5 and police battling the threat of an IS outrage in Britain believe the network has experimented with planting high explosives on the tiny flying machines.

The agile drones could lift enough C4 plastic explosive to kill or maim a person if detonated near someone’s head by remote control or a timer.

Sources told the Mirror that police probing IS plots against UK citizens believe terror bosses want to launch a multi-drone attack.

This could mean flying the helicopter-style toys by remote control into crowds at an open-air music festival or a football ground.

(Image: Getty)

If several drone bombs were launched at a crowd the effect would be bloody, horrific and could be filmed by plotters wanting to put the carnage online.

Last night a counter-terror source told the Mirror: “Islamist plotters have been trying to launch a drone-borne bomb attack for some time, as these machines are getting more hi-tech every year.

“They want the spectacular devastation of such a raid, which would cause murder and maiming in a crowd, while filming it for a sick video. IS is obsessed with re-creating the horror of 9-11 and believes this may be possible by launching a multi-drone attack on large numbers of people in a synchronised attack.”

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Col Richard Kemp, who has advised the Cabinet on terrorism, said: “There is a ­genuine threat from Islamists wishing to deliver high explosives by drone to crowded areas. The effects could be devastating.”

Toy drones, which sell for between £100 and thousands, are often used to carry cameras to film remote areas.

It is also thought terrorists might try to build a drone of their own, leaving no trace of a purchase that may spark a police investigation.

There are further fears IS is thinking of buying a commercial drone system able to carry enough explosive and shrapnel to kill scores.