The 19-year-old from Stavanger who was arrested at a hotel in Huddersfield with two pistols and ammunition has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder by a British court. The 19-year-old admitted that he had accepted the assignment on behalf of the Foxtrot network, but has not disclosed who the intended target was.
The 19-year-old admitted last autumn that he had been in possession of illegal firearms. That offence alone carries a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.
While the defendant was being cross-examined, prosecutor Alistair Richardson accused him of being a liar. It emerged that he had lied in several statements he had submitted to the court.
Richardson claimed that there are links between the Foxtrot network and the regime in Iran. In Sweden, it has emerged that Iran makes use of criminals. It has done the same in the United Kingdom.
The first jury failed to reach a verdict, and a new jury consisting of 12 members and a judge was empanelled.
In British law, it is customary for defendants to provide a written account of their case before appearing in court. The Norwegian did so on several occasions and ultimately admitted that he had lied. The logical question then is how the court can know that he is now telling the truth.
“Because you are a liar, aren’t you?” Richardson asked.
This provoked Aftenposten’s correspondent, Silje Enghaug, who believes that the prosecutor and the judge behaved unethically towards the Norwegian.
A member of the 19-year-old’s family works for Stavanger Aftenblad. It is therefore Aftenposten that “represents” the journalistic side of the case. It may be questioned whether Enghaug maintains the necessary professional distance.
British police carried out a thorough investigation and presented videos that the 19-year-old had received instructing him step by step: where he was to collect the weapons and the money. There was intensive contact over Signal, during which 2,000 messages were exchanged. These were presented in court.
When the police stormed the hotel room, the Norwegian made a shooting gesture with both hands.