London — A 19-year-old Norwegian has been found guilty of traveling to England to kill someone on behalf of a Swedish crime group that is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions for its links to Iran.
Johannes Kongsnes Natland was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder after an investigation by British counterterrorism officers and a two-week trial, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Natland had already admitted to two offenses related to gun and ammunition possession, police said.
He was arrested at a hotel in Huddersfield, in the north of England, last year, when he was 18. A semi-automatic pistol and a revolver were found in a plastic bag under his bed, along with rounds of live ammunition, police said.
Natland had flown into Manchester Airport on an emergency passport from Stavanger, his hometown, on March 17, 2025, two days before the hit was planned, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
In bodycam footage released by police from the early hours of March 19, 2025, Natland emerges topless from his room and mimes a shooting gesture at a firearms officer before being slammed against a wall.
The target of the assassination remains unknown, but police say “a significant amount of evidence” showed “Natland was fully aware he was being asked to kill someone.” The investigation is ongoing.
Crown Prosecution Service
“This was a calculated plan to kill for money,” said Frank Ferguson, head of the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division for the CPS.
“Johannes Natland was just 18 when he travelled to the UK, having agreed to carry out a murder on behalf of others for financial gain,” Ferguson said. “This case shows how organised crime networks operate across borders and exploit young people to carry out serious violence.”
Police say Natland had been tasked with the murder by a Swedish organized crime group called the Foxtrot Network. The group — along with its leader, Rawa Majid — is under British and American sanctions for acts of violence against Israeli and Jewish targets across Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime.
The Foxtrot Network is involved in drug smuggling and violent crimes, according to the CPS, with assignments — which are often cross-border — advertised in group chats on platforms including Snapchat, Telegram and Signal.
The group often uses very young perpetrators, the CPS says. They have pioneered a phenomenon of hiring teen assassins, according to CBS News’ partner network The BBC. Europol calls this “violence-as-a-service.”
A 17-year-old was sentenced to 14 years in a trial in Norway for his role in recruiting Natland to this conspiracy, according to the CPS, while another 16-year-old there is awaiting trial for his role in the plot.
“Going on a crazy mission”
A police analysis of Natland’s digital communications shows that he received social media messages while he was in Norway asking if he wanted to carry out a shooting in the U.K. A $28,000 payment was floated.
Someone with the username “Agent 47” described the location of the hit as “Great Britain. As easy as can be.”
Before leaving, Natland told his girlfriend he was “going on a crazy mission.” He told her he was going to kill someone, and that life would be “wonderful.”
Agent 47 told Natland which flight to board to the U.K. and gave him directions to a Huddersfield address where Natland collected some money.
He was then given the name of a hotel to stay in, police say.
Phone messages show that he was given specific directions, including maps, pictures and videos, to locate the bag of guns.
CCTV from the hotel and airport showed that he traveled by taxi to a wooded area where he picked them up.
Natland then messaged his girlfriend to say “in the bag is bang” and sent her a picture holding one of the guns, with the caption “soon it will happen.”
He also sent photos of the firearms to friends in Norway.
One asked if he had “tested the weapons.”
“Hell no,” Natland replied. “They will be tested on the guy.”
The final message sent to him before his arrest read: “We have much to do tomorrow.”
In court, Natland claimed he was intending to “shoot himself in the foot” to avoid the repercussions of refusing the mission. He will be sentenced at the Old Bailey in October.
