Full Breakdown
Norwegian Teen Sentenced for UK Murder Plot Tied to Iran-Linked Foxtrot Network
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The UK Murder Plot and Sentencing
Johannes Kongsnes Natland, a 19-year-old from Stavanger, Norway, was sentenced on October 16 2026 at Woolwich Crown Court in London to 20 years’ detention after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder. Natland had travelled to the United Kingdom in March 2025, entered a hotel in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and was discovered in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, live ammunition and cash. A jury at the Old Bailey, following a retrial, concluded that he had been recruited to kill an unidentified target for a payment of €25,000 (£21,500).
Background & Context
The Foxtrot Network is a Swedish-based organised-crime group that prosecutors describe as being “used by the Iranian state” and sanctioned by both the United Kingdom and the United States. Europol has labeled the group’s model “violence-as-a-service” (VaaS), noting its practice of hiring teenagers to carry out contract killings. The network has been linked to attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets across Europe, prompting sanctions against its founder, Kurdish-born gangster Rawa Majid, and other senior figures.
Timeline
- 17 March 2025 – Natland flew into Manchester Airport on an emergency passport, shortly after his 18th birthday.
- 19 March 2025 – Police arrested Natland in a Huddersfield hotel room, seizing two firearms, ammunition and £2,000 in cash.
- June 2026 – The first trial ended with a hung jury.
- 29 July 2026 – A retrial at the Old Bailey resulted in a conviction for conspiracy to murder.
- 16 October 2026 – Woolwich Crown Court imposed a 20-year sentence.
Data & Statistics
- Firearms: one semi-automatic pistol and one revolver.
- Ammunition: 12–19 live rounds (sources differ on the exact count).
- Cash recovered: £2,000.
- Payment promised: €25,000 (approximately £21,500).
- Minimum custodial term: 13 years before release consideration, as required by the sentencing judge.
Official Statements & Responses
Counter-terrorism policing highlighted the successful cooperation between UK and Norwegian authorities that led to Natland’s arrest hours before the intended hit. The sentencing judge, Mrs Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb, warned that Natland’s conduct demonstrated “purpose and persistence” and that, had the police not intervened, the murder would likely have been carried out.
On-the-Ground Reports
Armed officers entered Natland’s hotel room in the early hours of 19 March 2025, finding the weapons hidden under the bed. Natland emerged in boxer shorts, mimicking a firearm and pretending to shoot an officer. Police also recovered a stolen Nissan with false number plates that had been earmarked for the operation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Ammunition count: Reports list either 12 or 19 live rounds, reflecting a discrepancy in the forensic inventory.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We haven't been able to establish exactly who the intended victim was.” — Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London
- “Natland was arrested just hours before he was due to carry out an assassination here in the UK,” — Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London
- “Is anyone up for murder for money?” — Mr Hynes
- “Our priority now is to bring him home. We will be working to secure his transfer to Norway as quickly as we possibly can.” — Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London