Norwegian teen was in UK to 'undertake a hit', court hears

Norway teen was in UK to 'undertake a hit' - court 2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Daniel Sandford UK correspondent, Old Bailey Julia Quenzler At the Old Bailey in London, Johannes Natland denied a charge of conspiracy to murder A Norwegian teenager arrived in the UK to "undertake a hit" on behalf of a Swedish organised crime group linked to Iran, a jury has heard. Johannes Natland, 19, was arrested in a hotel in Huddersfield on 19 March 2025 with two guns and 12 rounds of ammunition after travelling to the country on an emergency passport. Prosecutors allege he collected the guns from a "hide" in a wooded area in the West Yorkshire town. Natland has pleaded guilty to being in possession of two working firearms – a semi-automatic pistol and a revolver – and 12 rounds of live ammunition. He denies a charge of conspiracy to murder. Opening the case for the prosecution, Alistair Richardson said Natland had been "recruited by an organisation called the Foxtrot network" under an agreement that he would be paid to "travel here and undertake a hit". "He was directed by others to a hotel, to a stash of money, and then a stash of guns and ammunition," the court heard. The jury was told Foxtrot "is a Swedish organised crime group used by the Iranian regime". "We do not know who the defendant was planning to murder," Richardson told the court. "He was prevented from committing murder when he was arrested inside a hotel room in Huddersfield." The jury were taken through a series of messages in March 2025 between another Norwegian teenager using the name 'Generalen' and an account called 'Agent 47'. They are discussing an assassination, the court heard, and the fact that the person who was due to carry it out had pulled out. Richardson said Agent 47 wrote: "Brother, sort an assassin abroad. Urgent. Europe." He told Generalen there was €25,000 "in the pot", the prosecutor added. When Generalen asked about the location, Richardson said Agent 47 replied: "Great Britain. As easy as can be." PA Media Natland was temporarily detained by Border Force officials at Manchester Airport, the court heard By 15 March, Generalen was messaging Natland, the court heard, with the defendant then messaging his girlfriend to say he was "going on a crazy mission". The next day Agent 47 made a flight booking, the jury was told, however it became clear that Natland's passport had expired. Two days later, Natland had arranged an emergency passport and was on his way to Stavanger Airport to board a flight to Manchester, the trial heard. During the journey, Natland was warned that Generalen had been arrested, the prosecution said. "Before the defendant set off to the United Kingdom he was well aware that one of the people who had recruited him had been arrested for conspiracy to murder," Richardson told the jury. "The defendant's response to those messages was not to pull out of what he was doing. Not to stop." On arrival in Manchester, Natland was detained because he