A Norwegian teenager who came to the UK from Norway with intentions to carry out an assassination on behalf of a Swedish criminal group has been convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. Johannes Natland’s plan was foiled when police apprehended him in a hotel room in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, where they discovered two firearms and 19 rounds of ammunition in his possession. The Old Bailey court learned that Natland, a talented 19-year-old footballer, had been instructed by the Foxtrot Network, an organised crime group linked to the Iranian regime, to engage in illicit activities.
The target of the murder plot orchestrated by the sanctioned Scandinavian group remains unidentified. Following a retrial, Natland received a unanimous guilty verdict from the jury after more than 17 hours of deliberation. Despite the outcome, he displayed no emotion in court. While Natland admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition, he denied the conspiracy charge. Law enforcement officers in London uncovered substantial evidence indicating his full awareness of the intended murder plot in the UK.
During the trial, prosecutor Alistair Richardson revealed that Natland was “recruited” by the Foxtrot Network, described as a Swedish criminal organization with ties to the Iranian regime. This group is notorious for employing young assassins, labeled by Europol as providers of “violence-as-a-service.”
Commander Helen Flanagan, leading Counter Terrorism Policing in London, praised the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies that led to Natland’s arrest, preventing a potential murder on UK soil. The investigation showcased the importance of international cooperation in combating transnational criminal threats. Additionally, two lethal weapons and ammunition were seized, further enhancing public safety by removing them from criminal circulation.
Natland was apprehended in March 2025 at a hotel in Huddersfield, where authorities discovered firearms and ammunition hidden under his bed. His plan to carry out the assassination was thwarted thanks to the intervention of Norwegian police, who had arrested the individual who recruited him and alerted UK authorities.
Bodycam footage presented during the trial captured the moment armed police arrested Natland at the hotel, where he was found in only his boxer shorts, seemingly startled. Despite his actions, which included mimicking holding a gun, Natland was swiftly detained by law enforcement on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.
After being taken into custody, Natland, who arrived in the UK on a temporary passport, claimed to have traveled to visit online friends he knew from gaming. He was later questioned on his cannabis use history by a nurse at the police station. Despite remaining silent during the police interview, he made suggestive remarks while in custody.
Ongoing investigations by Counter Terrorism Police have resulted in the arrest of a 27-year-old man suspected of involvement in a murder conspiracy. While the individual has been released pending further inquiries, additional arrests related to handling stolen goods have been made in Bradford. Two men, aged 30 and 27, were taken into custody on suspicion of dealing with a stolen vehicle before being released on bail.