Sentencing and Conviction
Johannes Kongsnes Natland, a 19-year-old Norwegian national, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday at Woolwich Crown Court in London for his role in a thwarted conspiracy to commit murder. Natland was found guilty in July of agreeing to carry out a contract killing in the United Kingdom for a payment of 25,000 euros (approximately 21,500 pounds). The target of the planned assassination remains unidentified, according to reporting by NBC News.
Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb, presiding over the case, emphasized the severity of the offense, stating that Natland had acted as an “enforcer” who pursued the plot despite multiple opportunities to withdraw. “Although the fact that no one was shot dead or physically harmed is important, I am sure had the intervention of the police not prevented the plan from proceeding, you would have done what you had agreed to,” the judge noted during the sentencing hearing.
The Foxtrot Network Connection
According to counterterrorism officers from London’s Metropolitan Police, Natland was recruited by the Foxtrot Network, an organized crime group based in Sweden with documented links to the Iranian government. The gang, which is also involved in drug and arms trafficking, has been under significant scrutiny by international authorities. The U.S. Department of State has previously identified the group’s involvement in violent activities against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime, as noted by Metro.
Natland, a former part-time pizza restaurant employee and footballer from Stavanger, Norway, was recruited online by another teenager identified as “Generalen.” Evidence presented in court revealed that Natland traveled from Norway to Manchester in March last year. Despite being stopped by Border Force officers upon arrival and instructed to return to Norway, the teenager defied orders and traveled by taxi to Huddersfield. There, he secured two firearms and ammunition.
Evidence and Interception
The plot was foiled when armed police intercepted Natland at a hotel in Huddersfield, where they discovered the weapons and 12 live bullets. Prosecutors presented extensive digital evidence, including boastful messages Natland sent to his girlfriend and peers, as well as photographs of himself with the weapons and cash. While Natland claimed in his defense that his participation was mere “bravado” fueled by a desire to look “cool,” the court dismissed these claims, citing his active participation and excitement regarding the planned hit.
The investigation remains ongoing regarding other actors involved in the conspiracy. While the handler known as “Agent 47” has not been apprehended, several other individuals have been arrested or released under investigation in connection to the broader plot. Other legal proceedings have taken place in Norway, where the teenager known as “Generalen” was sentenced to 14 years in custody last year for his role in facilitating the attempted murder.