In Norway, a shocking new trend has emerged: migrant children are being recruited by criminal gangs and armed with grenades to carry out violent attacks.
Experts say a lack of integration and social support has left many minors susceptible to manipulation, making them easy targets for organized crime networks.
The Foxtrot gang, one of Europe’s most notorious criminal organizations, is at the center of the problem.
Led from Iran and operating on behalf of the Ayatollah’s regime, the network has moved beyond Sweden, where it first emerged, and is now recruiting teenagers across Norway to carry out contract hits.
Explosions and Shootings Linked to Teenagers
The dangers became frighteningly real on September 23, when grenades exploded outside a nail salon in Bislett, Oslo, shattering windows and leaving walls riddled with shrapnel.
Police investigations revealed that two 13-year-old boys were connected to the attack.
Authorities believe the minors were recruited via TikTok, provided with smuggled grenades, and paid 30,000 NOK (£2,000) to carry out the act.
This attack was only the beginning. Within weeks, more incidents followed.
On September 30, three boys aged 12, 13, and 14 were linked to a shooting in Sarpsborg, and a week later, a 15-year-old was suspected of throwing a grenade at a sushi restaurant in Strømmen.
Because children under 15 cannot be held criminally responsible in Scandinavia, gangs have found them to be ideal recruits for violent crimes.
The Rise of the Foxtrot Gang
Foxtrot first appeared in Sweden in the late 2010s and is led by Rawa Majid, nicknamed the “Kurdish Fox.”
Majid has been sanctioned by the UK for orchestrating attacks across Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime.
Living under the protection of the Ayatollah, he has been involved in violent plots, particularly targeting Jewish and Israeli interests.
In Norway, the syndicate specifically targets children who are vulnerable due to economic hardship or unstable home environments.
One of the 13-year-olds linked to the Bislett explosion had previously been taken into custody by child welfare services after his parents were charged with violence against him.
Links to Migration and Integration Challenges
Norwegian MPs have raised concerns about the link between child gang crime and increased migration, suggesting that poor integration has left many minors susceptible to criminal exploitation.
Mahmoud Farahmand, a Conservative MP, told The Telegraph, “Most of these kids have migration backgrounds.
The government has not been able to put up a formidable defence… they’ve become blind to the situation.”
Since the early 1990s, the immigrant population in Norway has grown from 4% to 16% as of January 2024, creating challenges for integration policies.
International Concerns About Iranian Influence
The United States has also warned about Iran’s use of transnational criminal networks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “Iran’s brazen use of transnational criminal organizations and drug traffickers underscores the regime’s efforts to achieve its goals by any means necessary, regardless of the cost to communities across Europe.”
Foxtrot is suspected of orchestrating a thwarted attack on the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm in January 2024, and last October, explosions near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen were also linked to Iranian-backed networks.
Drugs, Money, and Expanding Criminal Networks
Foxtrot is not only involved in violent attacks but also dominates drug trafficking in the region.
It is Sweden’s largest heroin supplier and has expanded its network across Denmark and Norway, contributing to a spike in cocaine use since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anne Lindboe, Mayor of Oslo, warned that drugs worth up to £570 million have been smuggled through Norway’s largest port.
Former Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum emphasized the need for stronger customs enforcement, calling for more officers and scanners to combat the problem.
Social Media as a Recruitment Tool
Norwegian police say social media platforms like TikTok and encrypted apps such as Telegram are being used to recruit children.
“It appears that the original contact was established on TikTok,” police attorney Henrik Rådal told NRK regarding the Bislett grenade attack.
Communities are calling for increased safety measures, including more visible police patrols and volunteer programs like the ‘Night Ravens’ to protect young people and deter gang recruitment.
A Broader Problem Across Scandinavia
Foxtrot is just one of roughly 70 Swedish gangs operating in Norway.
Teenagers are being anonymously hired to carry out violent acts in exchange for payments ranging from £20,000 to £60,000, using smuggled grenades or improvised explosives.
Many minors carry out these attacks without knowing who commissioned them, highlighting the alarming scale and reach of organized crime targeting children.