Johannes Natland, 19, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder after flying from Norway to the UK to kill for a £21,000 payday. He was arrested in a Huddersfield hotel with a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver and 12 rounds of ammunition.
The teenager acted for the Foxtrot Network, a Swedish gang used by the Iranian regime. The trial jury was not told of the link to Tehran, but the UK sanctioned Foxtrot leader Rawa Majid in April 2025 for involvement in violence against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe.
The Plot Unfolds
Natland received a message on Signal about a “murder in England” from a user called “Unknown Hustler.” He was then added to a group chat with a Norwegian recruiter and a shadowy Foxtrot figure known as Agent 47, who ordered the hit.
He flew from Stavanger to Manchester on March 17, 2025, and was questioned by Border Force officials who refused him entry to the UK. However, he was told to return to the airport for a flight home four days later, leaving him free to enter. He took a taxi to a Manchester hotel, then was directed to a wood in Huddersfield to collect an arsenal of guns and ammunition. After checking in at a nearby hotel, he messaged his girlfriend: “In the bag is bang.”
Arrest and Denials
At 10.39pm that evening, a friend asked Natland: “U dun it?” He replied: “No. tomorrow.” At 5.15am on March 19, firearms officers arrested him in his room at the Briar Court Hotel in Huddersfield. He raced to the door with his hands up, imitating holding a firearm, and pretended to shoot one of the officers.
Natland admitted possession of the firearms but denied conspiracy to murder, claiming he was “terrified” and planned to sabotage the plot by shooting himself in the foot. He said he had not backed out earlier because he feared Foxtrot would kill him. Prosecutors branded this a lie, revealing he had boasted to friends about the mission. The court heard he told his then-girlfriend that “it will be a bit cool to really kill someone.” Giving evidence, Sara Solbi, 19, said Natland told her: “If I don't get caught we have to celebrate.”
Prosecution and Conviction
Frank Ferguson, head of the special crime and counter terrorism division, said: “This was a calculated plan to kill for money. 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. This case shows how organised crime networks operate across borders and exploit young people to carry out serious violence. Thanks to swift and coordinated police work, this plot was stopped before anyone was harmed. The evidence in this case – including telephone evidence, text messages, CCTV footage and witness testimony – clearly left no doubt that Natland intended to carry out this crime. This conviction sends a clear message: if you come to this country to commit serious violence on behalf of organised criminals, you will be caught and we will make sure you are brought to justice.”
Natland was found guilty of conspiracy to murder following a retrial after the original jury failed to reach a verdict. He will be sentenced on October 16.
