A 19-year-old Norwegian national has been convicted of conspiracy to murder after traveling to the United Kingdom to carry out an assassination on behalf of a Swedish organized crime group. The group, known as the Foxtrot Network, is described as being backed by the Iranian regime.
Johannes Natland was arrested in March 2025 in a hotel room in Huddersfield, where authorities found two working firearms and 19 rounds of live ammunition. While Natland admitted to possessing the weapons and ammunition, he denied the charge of conspiracy to murder. Following a retrial, a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for just over 17 hours.
Prosecution arguments stated that Natland was recruited by the Foxtrot Network. The court was informed that the Foxtrot Network has been subjected to sanctions by both the United Kingdom and the United States due to its close ties to the Iranian government. This organization is reportedly known for employing teenage assassins, a practice Europol has characterized as "violence-as-a-service."
During the trial, Natland testified that he had no intention of carrying out the planned attack and claimed he intended to shoot himself in the foot, telling jurors he had found himself in "a major pickle."
The court heard that Natland had traveled to the UK using an emergency passport. His arrest at the Briar Court Hotel in Huddersfield marked a significant development in the investigation into the organized crime group's activities.
