Teenage 'Hitman' Convicted After Foxtrot Network Murder Plot Foiled in Huddersfield

Johannes Natland, 19, has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder after travelling from Norway to England in March 2025 armed with two handguns and 19 rounds of ammunition. The plot, orchestrated through encrypted messaging by members of the Foxtrot Network, was stopped when Norwegian police intercepted a recruiter and alerted UK authorities.

What Happened

Natland was arrested in Room 207 of the Briar Court Hotel in Huddersfield at 05:15 GMT on 19 March 2025. Officers found a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver and 19 rounds of live ammunition concealed under the bed. He pleaded guilty to possession of the firearms and ammunition but denied conspiracy to murder; following a retrial the Old Bailey jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict after about 17 hours of deliberation.

How The Plot Unravelled

Prosecutors say Natland was recruited online via the Signal app and directed to the UK by members of the Foxtrot Network, which has been sanctioned by the UK and the US because of links to Iran. The teenager who recruited him, known online as "Generalen" (17), was arrested in Norway; messages found on his phone revealed plans for an assassination in England and prompted immediate cross-border police coordination.

Investigators say Natland flew from Stavanger to Manchester on an emergency passport on 17 March 2025. He was guided by messages and videos to pick up cash, a stolen car and the weapons hidden for him in Huddersfield. Counter Terrorism Policing subsequently took the lead on the inquiry because of the network's international connections.

Johannes Natland at the Briar Court Hotel in Huddersfield [Counter Terrorism Policing]

Network, Violence-As-A-Service And Related Murders

The Foxtrot Network has been identified by Europol and others as a practitioner of so-called "violence-as-a-service" (VaaS): arranging hits by recruiting vulnerable, often teenage, operatives online. Members tied to the same network have been convicted in Sweden for two murders — Ahmed Zamzam and Murad Abdelkader — and Swedish police say a key figure known as "Agent 47" is believed to be Ali Shehab Ahmed, arrested in Iraq and awaiting extradition.

“This was a calculated plan to kill for money,” said Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division. “Thanks to swift and coordinated police work, this plot was stopped before anyone was harmed.”

Background And Welfare Concerns

Natland, who grew up in Stavanger, Norway, came from a family of journalists and had once been a promising youth footballer. He told the court he began using drugs from age 13, eventually experienced drug-induced psychosis and had periods in psychiatric care and in a home for vulnerable children. Defence testimony included his claim that he intended to injure rather than kill the alleged target, saying he would shoot himself in the foot — a claim rejected by the prosecution, which relied on telephone and messaging evidence, CCTV and witness testimony.

Next Steps

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ordered a report on the defendant at the Old Bailey and remanded Natland into custody; sentencing is due in October. The case highlights growing concerns about transnational organised crime exploiting young people and using encrypted platforms to arrange serious violence across borders.

Key agencies involved: Counter Terrorism Policing, Crown Prosecution Service, Norwegian and Swedish police, Europol.