Norwegian teenager accused of plotting UK contract killing

EuroNews · 🇫🇷 public France · Jun 03, 2026 · 341 words · By Simon Ormiston

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What to know about Norwegian teenager accused of plotting UK contract killing

Defendant Johannes Natland has been linked to the Foxtrot criminal network, formed in the late 2010s, that has been connected to dozens of violent crimes in Sweden.

Claims checked 11

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Defendant Johannes Natland has been linked to the Foxtrot criminal network, formed in the late 2010s, that has been connected to dozens of violent crimes in Sweden.

Why it matters

A Norwegian teenager is on trial in London accused of travelling to the UK to carry out a contract killing on behalf of a Swedish organised crime network allegedly linked to Iran.

Common ground

Prosecutors at the Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, known as the Old Bailey, say 19-year-old Johannes Natland flew from Norway to Britain in March 2024 after agreeing to commit the murder of an unidentified target in exchange for money.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Norwegian teenager accused of plotting UK contract killing?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that A Norwegian teenager is on trial in London accused of travelling to the UK to carry out a contract killing on behalf of a Swedish organised crime network allegedly linked to Iran?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/06/03/norwegian-teenager-accused-of-plot…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 8

verified Verified By Reference 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

schedule Pending 1

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Claim 1: “A Norwegian teenager is on trial in London accused of travelling to the UK to carry out a contract killing on behalf of a Swedish organised crime network allegedly linked to Iran.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple news reports confirm a Norwegian teenager (Johannes Natland) is on trial in the UK for a contract killing plot linked to a Swedish network and the Iranian regime.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Iranian diaspora (collectively known as Iranian expats or expatriates) is the global population of Iranian citizens or people of Iranian descent living outside Iran. While Iranian migration has oc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_diaspora

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Iranian external operations refer to the activities conducted by the Islamic Republic of Iran in foreign countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. These are primarily carried out by Unit 840 of the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_external_operations

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, trading as Norwegian, is a Norwegian low-cost airline and Scandinavia's second-largest airline, behind Scandinavian Airlines. It is the fourth largest low-cost carrier in Eu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Air_Shuttle

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 2: “the Foxtrot criminal network, formed in the late 2010s, that has been connected to dozens of violent crimes in Sweden”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia explicitly states that the Foxtrot network is a criminal network in Sweden that emerged at the end of the 2010s.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Foxtrot (also known as The Foxtrot Network) is a criminal network in Sweden that emerged at the end of the 2010s. The network is Sweden's main distributor of narcotics. Rawa Majid, also known as the K…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxtrot_(criminal_network)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Foxtrot is a dance and style of music. Foxtrot or fox trot may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxtrot_(disambiguation)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Rawa Majid (Sorani Kurdish: ڕەوا مەجید; born 12 July 1986), known as the Kurdish Fox (Swedish: Kurdiska räven), is an Iraqi Kurdish-Swedish criminal. Since 2018, he has been a resident of Turkey, but …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawa_Majid

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “messages linked to the plot showed a figure using the online name "Agent 47" coordinating the operation.”

CORROBORATED

News reports specifically mention the use of the alias 'Agent 47' in messages coordinating the plot.

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web search NEUTRAL — It lists his date of creation and identification number: 640509-040147, from which he takes the name "Agent 47." His facial features are quite imposing, with ...
https://hitman.fandom.com/wiki/Agent_47

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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 26, 2026 ... In the new Elusive Target, Lilith will reveal to you that she's actually Oybek Nazabovs daughter. She will recognize you from “your trip” to ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/HiTMAN/comments/1rfmp5f/did_47_cano…

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web search NEUTRAL — Hitman: Agent 47: Directed by Aleksander Bach. With Rupert Friend, Hannah Ware, Zachary Quinto, Angelababy. An assassin teams up with a woman to help her ...
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2679042/

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Claim 4: “He was recruited by the Foxtrot Network, a Swedish criminal organisation which the prosecution says has been used by the Iranian regime.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources report the prosecution's claim that Natland was recruited by the Foxtrot Network and that this network is used by the Iranian regime.

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 11, 2026 ... British police have released footage of the arrest of Johannes Natland, a 19-year-old Norwegian national charged with travelling to Britain ...
https://www.facebook.com/IranIntlEnglish/posts/british-polic…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 11, 2026 ... Courtroom twist: Natland told jurors he planned to shoot himself in the foot to avoid killing, fearing his family would be harmed if he ...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/norwegian-teen-accuse…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 11, 2026 ... He was arrested at a hotel in Huddersfield in March 2025 carrying two firearms and ammunition. He also allegedly sent a photo of himself posing ...
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZccg6Ok0K2/?hl=en

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Claim 5: “19-year-old Johannes Natland flew from Norway to Britain in March 2024 after agreeing to commit the murder of an unidentified target in exchange for money.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, travelled to the UK on March 17 (2024/2025 context) to 'undertake a hit' for money.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Johannes is a Medieval Latin form of the personal name that usually appears as "John" in English language contexts. It is a variant of the Greek and Classical Latin variants (Ιωάννης, Ioannes), itself…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes

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web search NEUTRAL — He is the Executive Chef/Owner of Johannes Restaurant in Palm Springs, CA. Inspired at age 7 by his mother to start cooking simple things like cookies and cakes; Chef Johannes developed a passion for …
https://johannespalmsprings.com/

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 27, 2026 · Johannes delivers an upscale‑casual, modern European vibe, comfortable and welcoming with signature green accents, cozy dining rooms and a lively patio. Many guests praise its relaxed y…
https://www.opentable.com/johannes

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Claim 6: “Natland flew from Stavanger to Manchester on 17 March 2024 before travelling to Huddersfield, where he was arrested two days later.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm he travelled to the UK on March 17 and was arrested in Huddersfield shortly thereafter.

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Claim 7: “Natland was arrested in a hotel room in Huddersfield, northern England, where police found a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver and live ammunition.”

CORROBORATED

Reports confirm Natland was arrested at a hotel in Huddersfield and that police found two firearms (semi-automatic pistol and revolver) and ammunition.

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Claim 8: “He has already pleaded guilty to firearms offences but denies plotting to murder an unknown victim.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm he pleaded guilty to firearms offences but denies the conspiracy to murder an unknown victim.

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web search NEUTRAL — He has already pleaded guilty to firearms offences but denies plotting to murder an unknown victim. The court heard investigators have not identified the intended target.
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/06/03/norwegian-teen…

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web search NEUTRAL — Prosecutor details murder plot and Natland’s role, citing ‘Agent 47’ messages. Richardson told the jury that Natland had already pleaded guilty to possessing a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, and l…
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-898224

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web search NEUTRAL — Johannes Natland, 19, pretended to shoot an armed officer during his arrest. a court heard (Counter Terrorism Policing/PA). USA Today logo.Natland has denied conspiring to murder an unknown person but…
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/national/26184210.allege…

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Claim 9: “Defendant Johannes Natland has been linked to the Foxtrot criminal network”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm that Johannes Natland has been linked to the Foxtrot criminal network as part of his trial.

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web search NEUTRAL — Johannes Natland's passport, shown to the jury during the trial of the 19-year-old. Met Police.Prosecutor Alastair Richardson said the Foxtrot Network, linked to the Iranian regime, recruits very youn…
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2026/06/04/norwe…

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web search NEUTRAL — Foxtrot, once known primarily as a Swedish criminal syndicate involved in gang violence, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling, has increasingly been linked to operations targeting Israeli, Jewish, and…
https://slguardian.org/how-swedens-foxtrot-gang-became-a-key…

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web search NEUTRAL — Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, travelled to the UK on March 17 last year with the plan to “undertake a hit” in exchange for money, it is alleged.Mr Richardson added: “The Foxtrot network often use per…
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/johannes-kongsnes…

help

Claim 10: “in one exchange, the court heard €25,000 was offered in exchange for an assassination.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the specific amount of €25,000 offered.

schedule

Claim 11: “Border Force officers had questioned him on arrival because he had only a small amount of money, no booked accommodation and no return flight.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.