Johannes Kongsnes Natland, a 19-year-old Norwegian, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit murder in the United Kingdom as part of an international criminal operation linked to Iran. The conviction, handed down at Woolwich Crown Court, followed a retrial that concluded in July. Natland had traveled from his home in Stavanger to England in March 2025 with the intention of carrying out a killing for €25,000 (£21,500).
Two days after arriving in the UK, armed police arrested Natland at a hotel in Huddersfield, seizing two firearms and a dozen rounds of live ammunition. While Natland acknowledged possession of the weapons, he claimed he planned to shoot himself in the foot to avoid carrying out the attack. The jury heard evidence that he repeatedly lied after his arrest and attempted to influence his girlfriend not to testify via phone calls from prison.
During sentencing, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb emphasized that Natland had been recruited in Norway to kill an unidentified target in England and had pursued the plan despite having multiple chances to withdraw. The judge noted that although no harm had occurred due to police intervention, she was confident Natland would have fulfilled his agreement. Messages recovered during the investigation indicated his active participation and at times, apparent enthusiasm, for the planned crime.
The court revealed that Natland had been recruited by another teenager, known as “Generalen,” associated with the Swedish Foxtrot gang. This gang, proscribed in Sweden, is supported by the Iranian regime and is notorious for using children as young as 13 in drug trafficking and violent offenses. Natland was reportedly under the command of an English-speaking figure identified only as Agent 47, a possible reference to the fictional assassin from the Hitman video games and films.
Testimony included recollections from one of Natland’s footballer friends, who recalled Natland discussing the “Swedish Foxes” and expressing determination to earn money through lethal means. Before departing for the UK, Natland confided in his girlfriend about his mission, describing it as "crazy" and expressing a desire to kill someone to improve his life.
In his defense, Paul Hynes KC highlighted Natland’s youth and previous status as a well-liked student and athlete before drug abuse reportedly led him astray. The defense counsel argued that Natland had changed and no longer posed a future threat, describing the ordeal as a humbling learning experience.
Norwegian authorities have charged three additional individuals in connection with the case, although prosecutors have yet to decide whether to formally indict them. In September 2025, a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and released under investigation. Meanwhile, two men aged 30 and 27 were apprehended in Bradford on suspicion of handling stolen goods related to a vehicle and subsequently released on bail. The whereabouts and identity of Agent 47 remain unknown. “Generalen” was convicted in Norway in May 2025 for attempting to “contribute to murder.”