Iran‑backed Foxtrot Network murder plot

In March 2025 police in Huddersfield intercepted 19‑year‑old Norwegian Johannes Natland after discovering two pistols, a revolver and ammunition in his hotel room. Investigators said Natland had been recruited in Norway by the Foxtrot Network – a Swedish‑based organised‑crime group that authorities link to the Iranian government – and was offered about €25,000 to carry out an assassination in the United Kingdom. The plot was allegedly directed by senior gang members, including an individual known as Ali Shehab (“Agent 47”), and formed part of a broader strategy to enlist minors for violent operations across Europe.

A London court tried Natland in July 2026. He admitted possessing the weapons but denied planning a killing. The jury rejected his claim that he intended to shoot himself in the foot to avoid harming anyone and found him guilty of conspiracy to murder. The conviction highlights concerns about Iran‑aligned criminal networks exploiting vulnerable youths to further violent objectives in Western countries.

The case also underscores the Foxtrot Network’s designation on UK and US sanctions regimes and its alleged ties to Iranian operatives such as Rawa Majid, the gang’s leader.