# Teen Norwegian hitman jailed for 20 years after plotting UK assassination

> Teen Norwegian hitman arrested in boxer shorts jailed for 20 years after plotting UK assassination for Iran-backed gang.
- Title: Teen Norwegian hitman jailed for 20 years after plotting UK…
- Summary: Teen Norwegian hitman arrested in boxer shorts jailed for 20 years after plotting UK assassination for Iran-backed gang. 18-year-old Norwegian Johannes…
- Keywords: johannes natland, foxtrot network, iran, assassination, hitman, conspiracy to murder, old bailey, march 19 2026, boxer shorts, stavanger, huddersfield, Teen
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16212555/Teenage-Norwegian-hitman-jailed-20-years-plotting-assassinate-target-UK-behalf-Iran-backed-gang.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-10-16T10:47:33+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: johannes natland, foxtrot network, iran, uk, assassination, hitman, conspiracy to murder, old bailey, march 19 2026, boxer shorts, stavanger, huddersfield
## Teen Norwegian hitman arrested
Johannes Natland, 18, was arrested in his boxer shorts in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, on March 19, 2026.
## Plotting UK assassination for Iran-backed gang
Natland flew from Stavanger, Norway, to assassinate a UK target for an Iran-backed gang in return for £21,000.
## Arrested with firearms and cash
Police found a semi-automatic pistol, revolver, 12 rounds of ammunition, and £2,000 in cash at his hotel.
## Conspiracy to murder conviction
Natland was found guilty of conspiracy to murder after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey.
## 20-year sentence announced
Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb sentenced Natland to 20 years in prison for the plot.
## Foxtrot Network gang details
The UK sanctioned Foxtrot Network, a Swedish gang used by the Iranian regime, for violence against Jewish and Israeli targets.
## Natland's recruitment process
Natland received a Signal message from a user called 'Unknown Hustler' about a 'murder in England' and joined a group chat with recruiters.
## Natland's flight to UK
Natland flew from Stavanger to Manchester on March 17, 2026, but was denied entry to the UK by Border Force officials.
## Arrest in Huddersfield
At 5:15am on March 19, 2026, Natland was arrested in his hotel room in Huddersfield after pretending to shoot a police officer.
## Natland's admission of plan
Natland told his girlfriend Sara Solbi that 'it will be a bit cool to really kill someone' before being arrested.
## Court's assessment of Natland
Judge Cheema-Grubb noted Natland had been a good student from a financially secure home but was affected by cannabis and class A drugs.
## Foxtrot Network's role
The Foxtrot Network, sanctioned by the UK and US, targets Jewish and Israeli individuals abroad on behalf of the Iranian regime.
## Natland's defense
Natland claimed he was 'terrified' and planned to sabotage the plot by shooting himself in the foot before arrest.
## Prosecution's argument
Prosecution argued Natland boasted about the mission to friends, showing he intended to carry out the assassination.
## Target remains unknown
The intended UK target for Natland's assassination remains unidentified, but he 'neither knew nor cared' who he would kill.
## Sentence rationale
Judge Cheema-Grubb emphasized Natland's involvement in planning a murder of a stranger in a foreign country despite no physical harm occurring.
## Key takeaway

18-year-old Norwegian Johannes Natland was jailed for 20 years after plotting to assassinate a UK target for an Iran-backed gang.