Key facts
- Johannes Natland, a Norwegian teenager, has been convicted of conspiracy to murder in the UK.
- Natland was arrested in March 2025 in Huddersfield with two firearms and 19 rounds of ammunition.
- Prosecutors stated Natland was recruited by the Swedish Foxtrot Network, a crime group linked to the Iranian regime.
- The Foxtrot Network has been sanctioned by the UK and US for its alleged ties to the Iranian government.
- Natland pleaded guilty to possessing firearms and ammunition but denied the conspiracy charge.
- Evidence included messages detailing a 'violence-as-a-service' plot with a payment of 270,000 Norwegian Kroner (£21,000).
A Norwegian teenager, Johannes Natland, has been convicted of conspiracy to murder in Britain after being recruited by a Swedish organised crime group allegedly linked to the Iranian regime. Natland, 19, was arrested in March 2025 in a hotel room in Huddersfield with two working firearms and 19 rounds of live ammunition.
Prosecutors at the Old Bailey stated that Natland was recruited by the Foxtrot Network, described as a Swedish organised crime group backed by the Iranian government. The group has been sanctioned by both the UK and the US for its close ties to the Iranian regime. The court heard that the Foxtrot Network is known for pioneering the use of teenage killers, a phenomenon Europol has termed 'violence-as-a-service' (VaaS).
Natland claimed he intended to shoot himself in the foot rather than carry out the attack, telling jurors he had found himself in 'a major pickle'. He had pleaded guilty to possession of the firearms and ammunition but denied the conspiracy charge. Following a retrial, the jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for over 17 hours.
Natland flew into Manchester Airport on March 17 and was guided by videos on the messaging app Signal to Huddersfield, where weapons, a stolen car, and cash were hidden. He was prevented from carrying out the hit because Norwegian police arrested the teenager who had recruited him, uncovering messages about the UK plot on his phone. The recruited teenager, known as 'Generalen', was convicted in Norway for his involvement in the conspiracy and other serious crimes, including murders in Sweden.