Norwegian teen hitman Johannes Natland detained over UK murder plot
Recruitment and the alleged plot
A jury at Natland’s retrial heard that the Foxtrot Network recruited him to travel from Norway to England and kill someone. The target’s identity remained unclear.
Journey to Huddersfield
Videos sent through the messaging app Signal guided Natland to Huddersfield, where guns, a stolen car and cash had been concealed. Officers raced to find him before he could locate the unidentified target. One described the intervention as happening very quickly, just before Natland moved towards committing murder.
Police intervention and sentence
When officers arrived at the door, Natland mimed shooting one of them with his hands. They pushed him against a wall and handcuffed him. He was sentenced to 20 years’ detention. The Foxtrot Network is known for recruiting teenage killers in a practice Europol calls “violence-as-a-service.”
Key points
- Johannes Natland was sentenced to 20 years’ detention after travelling from Norway to the UK.
- Jurors heard that the Foxtrot Network recruited him to kill an unidentified target.
- Signal videos directed him to Huddersfield, where weapons, a stolen car and cash were hidden.
- Police intervened before he reached the target.