4 days ago
Daniel Sandford UK correspondent
A Norwegian teenager accused of travelling to the UK to carry out a "hit" was seen pretending to shoot one of the officers arresting him, in police body-worn camera footage shown in court.
Johannes Natland, 19, was arrested in the Briar Court Hotel in Huddersfield last March with two guns and 12 rounds of ammunition.
Footage played to the jury at the Old Bailey showed how when he opened his hotel room door to firearms officers, he saw a green dot projected on his chest and responded by imitating holding a firearm and pretending to shoot.
Natland has pleaded guilty to being in possession of two working firearms and 12 rounds of live ammunition but denies a charge of conspiracy to murder.
Prosecutors allege Natland had flown from Stavanger, Norway, to carry out a "hit" for the Foxtrot Network, a Swedish organised crime group which has links to Iran.
The jury heard that Natland was added to a Signal group chat on 15 March 2025 - eight days after his 18th birthday - and almost immediately asked "Who is to be killed?"
Two days later he was at Stavanger airport with an emergency passport and boarded a flight to Manchester.
Metropolitan Police
Natland allegedly sent a photo of himself posing with cash spread across the hotel bed
On arrival, he was stopped by Border Force because he had only £40 in cash, no accommodation and no return ticket.
He was refused entry but allowed into the UK temporarily until a flight home four days later.
The next morning, Natland travelled by taxi to Huddersfield and was sent a video by a Signal user showing where cash had been hidden near a footpath underpass.
After collecting the money, he checked into the hotel and paid in cash.
Metropolitan Police
Natland was allegedly sent instructions on where to find the hidden cash
Following further instructions sent by the same Signal user, he took another taxi to woodland on the outskirts of the town, where he retrieved two handguns.
He was also directed to a stolen car with a key hidden under the wheel.
That evening, Natland bought beer and sent videos of the guns to a friend, along with a photo of himself posing with cash spread across the hotel bed.
A Signal user known as "Agent 47", who had arranged his travel to Manchester, messaged him: "We have much to do tomorrow."
He was arrested the following morning in room 207.
Counter Terrorism Policing
A still frame from a video allegedly showing Natland holding a semi-automatic handgun
Last week, a teenager in Norway was convicted at the Sor-Rogaland District Court of recruiting Natland to commit the murder of an unknown person in England on behalf of the Foxtrot Network.
In agreed psychiatric evidence read to the court, the jury heard Natland had a history of psychotic disorder in Norway, "induced by multiple specified psychoactive substances".
He had been discharged from a psychiatric unit six weeks before travelling to the UK.
However, two psychiatrists agreed his mental health did not amount to a defence.
The trial continues.
More on this story
Related internet links
Read the full article at BBC News (UK) →
United Kingdom