The case centres on Johannes Natland, a 19-year-old Norwegian, who was convicted in the UK for plotting a murder in West Yorkshire on behalf of the Foxtrot Network.

Police intercepted him at a hotel in Huddersfield before the attack could go ahead. Officers recovered firearms, ammunition, and cash. Natland had not been told the identity of his intended victim.

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The Foxtrot Network allegedly recruits teenagers through social media and messaging apps | X (@EmmanuelInvest)

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The game grows darker

The wider concern is not just one failed plot. There exists a recruitment model that targets teenagers and vulnerable young people through social media and encrypted chat apps.

Natland was drawn in by another teenager using the online name “Generalen” and then linked to a handler known as “Agent 47”.

He was allegedly given travel help, route maps and instructions through Signal. He was briefed where hidden weapons and cash could be found.

Natland was not even told who the intended victim was when he was arrested.

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Foxtrot Network, a Swedish organised crime group, has been linked to dozens of murders and attacks since 2022 | X (@EmmanuelInvest)

That method is what Europol and investigators are calling “violence-as-a-service”. In plain terms, it means organised crime groups are outsourcing assaults to teenagers who may not fully understand the consequences.

Europol official Andy Kraag described it as the “calculated outsourcing of murder” to vulnerable young people. The recruits are treated like pieces in a game, given step-by-step instructions and promised payment that they often never receive because police stop them first.

Fox’s web

The Foxtrot Network is a Sweden-linked criminal organisation led by Rawa Majid, also known as “The Kurdish Fox”. Police believe he is now living in Tehran.

British authorities say the network has links to Iran and have sanctioned the Foxtrot Network and its leader over alleged attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe.

The network has been linked to murders, shootings, grenade attacks and bombings across Europe, including attacks on Israeli targets.

Iran has rejected the allegation that it is connected to the gang.

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A tally that commands attention

The scale is what has alarmed investigators. The Foxtrot Network is thought to have been responsible for around 35 murders and several attacks and attempted attacks against Israeli targets in Europe since 2022.

Europol’s OTF GRIMM task force has made more than 280 arrests across 11 countries in the last 15 months, but officials warn that other organised crime groups are adopting the same playbook.

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(Representational image) A teenager controlled like a puppet while using a smartphone, symbolising the Foxtrot Network’s alleged online recruitment model | AI

The Foxtrot case is being treated less as an isolated plot and more as a warning about how organised crime is changing online.

The next generation in the crosshairs

Europe’s gangs are no longer relying only on adult enforcers or local street crews. They are reaching into teenage networks, using encrypted platforms, fake identities and fast cash to recruit children and young adults into violent work.

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(Representational image) A map of Europe representing the cross-border reach of the Foxtrot Network | AI

The result, investigators say, is a more fragmented and more disposable kind of hired violence, one that can cross borders as easily as a message on a phone.

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FAQs

Q1: What is the Foxtrot Network?

The Foxtrot Network is a Sweden-linked criminal gang that European authorities say has been involved in murders, bombings and other violent crimes across several countries.

Q2: Why are European gangs recruiting teenagers?

Investigators say organised crime groups use teenagers because they are easier to recruit online, easier to manipulate and less likely to attract suspicion.