Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.

Join today

Already a member?
Log in

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, has been jailed for 20 years for travelling to England to carry out a killing on behalf of an international crime gang backed by Iran.

Natland, a Norwegian footballer, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday.

He was found guilty of conspiracy to murder in July, following a retrial.

Natland had agreed to shoot an unknown target for €25,000 (£21,500) in March 2025.

Two days after he arrived in the UK on a flight from his home in Stavanger, armed police swooped to arrest him at a hotel in Huddersfield. They seized two guns and 12 live bullets.

Johannes Kongsnes Natland travelled to England from Norway to carry out a hit on behalf of an international crime gang (Metropolitan Police)

Natland admitted possessing the firearms and ammunition, but claimed he would have shot himself in the foot to get out of the “pickle” he was in.

However, jurors heard that he had lied repeatedly following his arrest and even tried to persuade his girlfriend not to give evidence in phone calls from prison.

In a televised sentencing, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told Natland: “You were recruited in Norway to travel to England and kill an unidentified target.

“You agreed to be the enforcer and pursued it, despite numerous opportunities to extricate yourself.

“Although the fact that no one was shot dead or physically harmed is important, I am sure had the intervention of the police not prevented the plan from proceeding, you would have done what you had agreed to.”

Messages that Natland sent showed “not only participation but at points excitement” about what he was planning to do, the judge said.

The court heard that Natland was recruited by another teenager, referred to as “Generalen”, who was working for the proscribed Swedish Foxtrot gang.

Police officers arrest Johannes Kongsnes Natland (Metropolitan Police)

The gang is backed by the Iranian regime and is known for deploying children as young as 13 in drug smuggling and violent crimes.

Natland was controlled by an English-speaking boss called Agent 47, in an apparent reference to the Hitman gaming and film franchise.

At his trial, one of Natland’s footballer friends recalled him talking about the “Swedish Foxes” and telling him: “I’m going to get a lot of money and somebody is going to die.”

Natland had also confided in his girlfriend before leaving for the UK, saying in a message: “I’m going on crazy mission.”

According to her, he said: “Now I can finally kill someone and it’s perfect as I get money to do it. I can kill someone and life will be wonderful.”

Paul Hynes KC, defending, highlighted Natland’s young age at the time of the offending, and said he had been “a young, popular, successful student and sportsman” before he went “off the rails” after he started abusing drugs.

He said his client has changed and does not present a danger in the future, saying: “This whole experience can only be a chastening, humbling and frightening one. He has on any view learned his lesson.”

Three more people have been charged by Norwegian police, with a decision yet to be taken by prosecutors whether to “indict” them.

In September 2025, a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and has been released under investigation.

Two men, aged 30 and 27, were arrested in Bradford on 20 May on suspicion of handling stolen goods relating to a car. They were released on bail.

The identity and whereabouts of Agent 47 remains unknown.

“Generalen” was convicted in Norway of attempting to “contribute to murder” in May 2025.

Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The Independent.