A Norwegian teenager who flew to Manchester Airport with the intention of carrying out an assassination on British soil has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.
Arrest and weapons found
Officers raided a hotel room in Huddersfield and detained Johannes Kongsnes Natland in March last year. Footage captured the moment the 19-year-old mimicked pointing a gun at the officers before being forced against a wall and restrained in handcuffs.
He was discovered in possession of two firearms, 19 rounds of ammunition and bundles of cash, all prepared for a killing that ultimately never happened. Natland had been acting under the direction of an organised crime group known as the Foxtrot Network, which has been linked to criminal operations on behalf of the Iranian regime.
Instructions and target
He had been ordered to kill a specific individual in the UK, though the identity of the intended target has yet to be established. Messages recovered from his mobile phone revealed he had been provided with precise instructions, including maps, photographs and videos, detailing the location of a 'hide' containing the bag of weapons, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Further examination of his digital communications by Counter Terrorism Police officers uncovered messages sent to him via social media while he was still in Norway, requesting that he carry out a shooting in the UK. A payment of 25,000 Euros was reportedly offered.
Role of 'Agent 47'
Natland received instructions regarding which flight to take to the UK and what steps to follow upon arrival from an individual using the username 'Agent 47'. Agent 47 directed Natland to an address in Huddersfield, where he collected a sum of money.
He was subsequently given the name of a hotel at which to book a room. Throughout his stay in the UK, Natland was also sending messages to his friends back in Norway, including photographs of the firearms. When a friend asked whether he had 'tested the weapons', he replied: "Hell no. They will be tested on the guy."
Arrest and evidence
Video footage of Natland posing while holding the guns, along with photographs of him with the bags of cash, have since been released, while CCTV footage captured him purchasing gloves in preparation for the killing. However, just two days after touching down at Manchester Airport, and before he could carry out the shooting, Natland was arrested in his hotel room in the early hours of 19th March 2025.
A bag containing two firearms — a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver and 19 bullets — was discovered inside a plastic bag beneath his bed. Detectives from CTP London analysed CCTV footage from both the airport and the hotel, which confirmed he had travelled by taxi to a wooded area of Huddersfield where he had retrieved the weapons.
Trial and verdict
While the intended victim of the murder plot has never been named, CTP London officers gathered a substantial body of evidence proving that Natland was fully aware he had been tasked with killing somebody on British soil. During his testimony, Natland maintained that he had no intention of carrying out the killing, claiming instead that he planned to 'shoot himself in the foot' as a means of avoiding any backlash should he refuse the mission.
Despite this, following two weeks of evidence presented throughout the trial, the jury returned a guilty verdict on the charge of conspiracy to commit murder. Having already pleaded guilty to possession of firearms and ammunition, he was convicted of the conspiracy to commit murder following the proceedings at the Old Bailey.
Sentencing is due to take place at the Old Bailey in October.
Police statement
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of CTP London, said: "Due to the swift and professional work of CTP London officers, supported by officers from West Yorkshire Police and CTP North East, Natland was arrested before he was able to carry out a murder in the UK.
"This investigation highlights the importance of the strong links with our international law enforcement partners to counter the very real threat of criminal organisations across European borders. We've worked particularly closely with colleagues from Norwegian law enforcement authorities and as a result, we have stopped somebody from being assassinated here in the UK.
"Our investigation, which remains ongoing, has also resulted in two lethal weapons and ammunition being taken out of criminal hands and off the streets of the UK which has undoubtedly made the public safer."
