A Norwegian teenager, Johannes Kongsnes Natland, has been convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the UK after being recruited by a Swedish organized crime group with alleged links to the Iranian government. The 19-year-old was arrested in March 2023 in a hotel room in Huddersfield, northern England, with two firearms and ammunition in his possession.
Prosecutors stated Natland was recruited by the Foxtrot Network, a Swedish crime syndicate sanctioned by both the UK and the US for its ties to Iran. Natland admitted possessing a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, and ammunition but denied intending to carry out the murder plot. After a retrial at London's Old Bailey court, a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to murder. The intended target of the plot remains unidentified.
Natland, who was 18 at the time of the arrest, flew from Stavanger, Norway, to the UK with the intention of carrying out the assassination for financial compensation. Police found £2,000 in cash along with the weapons during the raid. Prosecutors argued that Natland was fully aware of his mission and was motivated by the promised payment of 25,000 euros ($40,000).
The Foxtrot Network, led by Rawa Majid, is accused of using its criminal operations to conduct attacks on behalf of the Iranian regime. The group has been linked to violence against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe, including an incident involving a 13-year-old suspect. Natland's recruiter, a 17-year-old known as 'Generalen,' was previously convicted in Norway for his role in the plot. Three additional individuals have been charged in connection with the case, though prosecutors have not yet decided whether to indict them.
During the trial, bodycam footage showed Natland miming a shooting gesture at officers during his arrest. Prosecutors described him as a 'dangerous young man' who agreed to kill without knowing or caring about the identity of his target. Natland's defense claimed he had no intention of carrying out the murder and would have shot himself in the foot to avoid the situation.
The case highlights the growing trend of foreign states using organized crime networks to recruit young individuals for violent acts. Authorities emphasize the transnational nature of such operations and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals for criminal purposes.