A Norwegian teenager, Johannes Natland, is convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in Britain after prosecutors said he was recruited to carry out an assassination for a criminal network with links to Iran. Multiple outlets report that Natland travelled from Norway to the UK in March last year, with his arrival in Huddersfield described as part of a planned attack on an unidentified target. CBS and others report he sent messages and photos with weapons to people close to him, which formed part of the case presented in court.
Natland, who was 18 at the time of his arrest and is later described as 19, was taken into custody in a hotel in Huddersfield after police found him with firearms and ammunition. ABC Australia adds that he arrived shortly before the planned killing using an emergency passport.
Prosecutors say Natland was recruited by the “Foxtrot Network,” described as a Swedish organised crime group used by the Iranian government. Some reports state that Natland’s recruitment and the group’s role are connected to sanctions involving Britain and the United States. Courts ultimately found him guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. The intended victim was not identified in the reports provided.
