Norwegian teenager jailed for 20 years over UK murder plot
publishers 14articles 15first reported 16 Oct, 11:34 UTCdeveloping since 16 Oct · 7 editions
A Norwegian teenager recruited online by the Foxtrot crime network has been sentenced to 20 years in detention for plotting to kill an unidentified person in Britain.
Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, was convicted of conspiracy to murder after a retrial in July. At Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ordered that he serve at least 13 years in custody.
Natland travelled from Stavanger, Norway, to Manchester in March 2025 after agreeing to carry out the killing for about £21,000. Police arrested him two days later at a hotel in Huddersfield, hours before authorities said the attack was due to take place. Officers found a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, live ammunition, gloves and £2,000 in cash. Investigators also linked him to a stolen car with false number plates intended for use in the plot.
Natland admitted firearms and ammunition offences but denied planning to commit murder. He said he intended to shoot himself in the foot to escape the situation. The judge said his messages showed participation and excitement, and concluded that he would have carried out the killing without police intervention.
Authorities said Foxtrot recruits young people through social media to commit violent crimes. Britain and the United States have sanctioned the network and its founder, Rawa Majid, over alleged attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets on Iran’s behalf. Counter Terrorism Policing said there was no evidence directly linking Iran to Natland’s specific plot, whose intended target remains unknown.
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Written from 6 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 6 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 10 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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