Johannes Natland was arrested in a hotel room in Huddersfield, northern England, in March of the previous year while in possession of two firearms and ammunition, according to prosecutor Alistair Richardson during proceedings at London's Old Bailey Court. The teenager had been recruited by an organization called the Foxtrot Network under an agreement whereby he would travel to Britain and carry out a contract killing in exchange for money.

Natland currently denies charges of conspiracy to murder an unknown person, though he has already pleaded guilty to possessing a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver, and live ammunition. Prosecutor Richardson informed the jury that while the identity of the intended victim remains unknown, evidence from messages and statements made by Natland to associates in Norway prior to his departure clearly indicated that a murder was planned.

According to the prosecution, an individual using the username "Agent 47" directed the operation. In communications discussing "getting an assassin," this figure referenced 25,000 euros as compensation for the contract. Richardson told the court that the group initially had another person to carry out the killing, but when that individual had second thoughts, they turned to Natland instead.

The Foxtrot Network has been identified as a Swedish organized crime group operating on behalf of the Iranian regime. In 2024, both Sweden's Säpo security service and Israel's Mossad intelligence agency confirmed that Iran had been conducting activities within Sweden for several years that pose security threats. This determination followed an investigation into an explosive device found at the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm in January, which investigators concluded was placed by the Foxtrot organized crime ring acting at Iran's direction.