A Norwegian teenager, Johannes Natland, allegedly traveled to the UK in March 2024 to carry out an assassination for a gang linked to Iran, according to court testimony. He was arrested in a Huddersfield hotel room with firearms and ammunition after boasting to his girlfriend about his “crazy mission” and expected payment of over £20,000. Natland has admitted possession of the weapons but denies conspiracy to murder; his trial continues.

The £20,000 mission and a girlfriend’s testimony

According to the prosecution, Natland messaged his then-girlfriend Sara Solbi in the days before his trip,describing it as a “crazy mission” and saying, “Now I can finally kill someone and it’s perfect. I get money to do it, I can kill someone and life will be wonderful.” Solbi testified that she thought it was a bad idea and asked if he had thought it through. The court heard Natland replied, “It will be a bit cool really to kill someone. If I don’t get caught we have to celebrate.”

After arriving in Huddersfield, Natland sent Solbi a photo of himself smiling, wearing protective gloves and holding a gun, with the message “Soon it will happen.” Police later found a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver,12 rounds of live ammunition, and £2,000 in cash in his hotel room. The source article reports that Natland was recruited over social media by the Swedish Foxtrot Network, a group allegedly used by the Iranian regime and sanctioned by the US and UK.

How the Swedish Foxtrot Network lures teenagers via social media

The Foxtrot Network is an organised crime group that, according to the prosecution, has been used by Iranian authorities for operations in Europe. The network is known for recruiting children and teenagers via social media to carry out violent acts, often promising large sums of money. In this case, Natland allegedly expected over £20,000 for the hit.

This pattern echoes similar cases in Sweden, where teenagers have been recruited by criminal gangs linked to state actors. The use of Nordic youth as disposable assets highlights a cross-border security challenge that European authorities are only beginning to grapple with. As the source article notes, Natland’s school friend described the Foxtrot Network as “very dangerous” and an increasing problem in Norway.

A friend’s account of a rapid decline into drugs and violence

Natland’s school friend Lucas Oftedal testified that he saw a stark change in the teenager: from a popular, able student and talented footballer into a troubled drug user. Oftedal recounted a conversation outside a house party in Stavanger on March 15, where Natland mentioned “the Foxes” and said, “I am going to get a lot of money, someone is going to die.” Oftedal described Natland’s abuse of Xanax, marijuana, alcohol, and rumors of opiate and cocaine use.

This testimony paints a picture of vulnerability exploited by an international criminal network . The rapid descent from promising youth to alleged assassin underscores the difficulty of identifying and intercepting such recruitment before it turns deadly.

The missing link: who ordered the hit?

The trial has not yet revealed the intended target of the alleged assassination, nor the identity of the person or persons who directly recruited Natland. while the prosecution ties the Foxtrot Network to Iran ,it remains unclear how senior Iranian officials were involved, if at all.. Natland has denied conspiracy to murder, and his defence may challenge the extent of his intent.

These unanswered questions leave significant gaps in the public understanding of the case. Without clarity on the target and the chain of command, it is impossible to asess the true scale of the threat posed by this Iran-linked recruitment channel in Europe.