logo
Teenage boy accused of trying to hire hitmen online in Nordic ‘cash for killing' operation

Teenage boy accused of trying to hire hitmen online in Nordic ‘cash for killing' operation

Independent16-04-2025

A 15-year-old boy accused of trying to recruit contract killers online in a Nordic gang war faces life in prison after being arrested in a multinational police sting.
The teen was arrested at a home in Western Sydney on Wednesday morning and charged with using an encrypted app to facilitate a 'cash for killing' plan on behalf of an international crime syndicate, according to police from Australia, Denmark and Sweden.
Australian police launched an investigation earlier this month after they were alerted by Danish police to a foreign national living in Australia, whom they had linked to attempts at organising contract killings in Europe.
The so-called 'crime-as-a-service' contract killings involve individuals outsourcing crimes to third parties, using online platforms including social media to plan and carry out the attacks, police said.
Lars Feldt-Rasmussen, deputy chief superintendent of the Danish police national special crime unit (NSK), said the arrest was a result of close cooperation between the three police forces.
'While in Australia, the young man is suspected of having attempted to recruit people to commit contract killings in Denmark and Sweden as part of ongoing gang conflicts in the Nordic region,' he said.
In a separate statement, Danish police said the boy was originally from Sweden.
The teenager was charged with two counts of using a device connected to a telecommunications network with the intent of committing a serious offence, namely conspiracy to murder - one count under the Australian Commonwealth criminal code and one under the Danish penal code. Both charges are punishable by life in prison.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commander Brett James said that while criminals thought encrypted communications gave them anonymity and would help them dodge the law, the police were 'a step ahead'.
'If you think you can use geography to evade law enforcement, you're mistaken – the AFP and its partners are always watching, sharing intelligence and ready to apprehend those who wish to harm our communities,' he said.
Deputy chief superintendent Feldt-Rasmussen said the investigation was continuing.
'With this operation, we have taken a recruitment link in the crime chain out of play, but we are not finished yet,' he said in translated comments from social media.
'We are also targeting those we suspect of having controlled the 15-year-old. Together with our international partners, we are hunting those who commit crimes against Denmark and the Nordic region - including those hiding abroad."
The teen appeared in a Sydney children's court on Wednesday and was formally refused bail. He is due to reappear in court on June 11.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

British activist who ‘didn't want whales to be murdered' facing jail
British activist who ‘didn't want whales to be murdered' facing jail

The Independent

time9 hours ago

  • The Independent

British activist who ‘didn't want whales to be murdered' facing jail

British activist Elyssia Phillips and her Iranian friend Anahita Babaei face potential jail time in Iceland after protesting whaling by climbing a whaling boat mast and staying there for 33 hours. The pair were charged with three criminal offences after being arrested in September 2023 for protesting the killing of endangered fin whales, a practice Iceland continues despite an international ban. Ms Phillips and Ms Babaei argue their actions were peaceful civil disobedience, while their lawyers claim Icelandic police are cracking down on protesters. 'We didn't want the whales to be murdered,' Ms Phillips said. The activists claim they were "manhandled" during their arrest and that police took their food and medical supplies during the 33-hour protest. Unable to apply for visas and facing potential legal fees, Ms Phillips and Ms Babaei have launched a GoFundMe to fight the charges.

British activist facing jail in Iceland after protesting against whale hunting
British activist facing jail in Iceland after protesting against whale hunting

The Independent

time12 hours ago

  • The Independent

British activist facing jail in Iceland after protesting against whale hunting

Two environmental activists are facing prison sentences after climbing onto the mast of a whaling boat and remaining there for 33 hours during a protest in Iceland. Elyssia Phillips, a British woman from Lewes, and her close friend Anahita Babaei, who is Iranian, travelled to the European country to campaign against the controversial practice of killing endangered fin whales. Only three countries in the world - Japan, Norway and Iceland - defy the International Whaling Commission 's ban on commercial whaling, which sees the enormous sea creatures killed with explosive harpoons and has been a cause célèbre for environmental movements for decades. Since being released on bail following their arrest in September 2023, they have been charged with three criminal offences, which could see them spend six months in prison or pay a hefty fine. Their lawyers, however, argue they are being made an example of as Icelandic police aim to crack down on civilian protests, in the wake of several anti-whaling and anti-fishery movements that have gained traction in the Nordic country. Speaking to The Independent, Ms Phillips, 36, said that she and Ms Babaei, also 36, had travelled to the port to board two vessels owned by the company Hvalur, the country's last whaling company. 'It is civil disobedience, we didn't hurt anybody or damage anything,' she said. 'It is us peacefully sitting up there saying we didn't want the whales to be murdered.' A report by Iceland's Food and Veterinary Authority last year found that using the harpoons to kill the large animals was taking too long, with some whales taking two hours to die after being hit several times by the devices. After remaining up on the 15-metre high masts for 33 hours, in which they claim the Reykjavik police took Ms Babaei's bag of food and medical supplies, they returned to ground level and were arrested and taken into custody. They also claim that they were 'manhandled' during the process of their arrests, despite complying with police orders and allowing themselves to be led to police vans. Their lawyer, Linda Emilsdóttir of the law firm Réttur, said: 'It's part of the anti-whaling campaign, but it's also a bigger sense that we feel the police are pushing cases against protesters in Iceland. 'Maybe that's because there are a lot of protests now, such as anti-whaling and fish farming but also against immigration law and Israel-Palestine and so on. 'They've been investigating for two years now and have now decided to take it to court but we don't really see why. It was just a peaceful protest and although they went up the mast on the ship, they didn't cause any damage, it's part of a political conversation, it was peaceful.' Their legal team has now applied to have the case dismissed, after the pair were charged with trespass and entering, breaking maritime law and refusing to obey police commands. 'Based on the provisions, they could be facing jail time or more likely a fine depending on the charges, but they didn't make any damage so there are no financial costs, there was no harm and the investigation has taken two years.' As a result, the two women have been unable to apply for visas while they have waited in limbo to understand the outcome of the case, with Ms Babaei unable to visit her family in Iran and both struggling to travel for work. Faced with the prospect of having to pay thousands in legal fees, they have now launched a GoFundMe to help fight their case. Ms Emilsdóttir added: 'A primary concern is that the prosecution has brought forward three separate charges, none of which can be justifiably linked to the conduct in question. The indictment lacks sufficient reasoning or evidentiary support in both its text and the accompanying case files. 'Furthermore, the defendants' actions, which consisted of a peaceful protest, caused no harm, did not breach public order, nor did they pose any threat to public safety. The initiation of criminal proceedings appears to be motivated not by the pursuit of justice, but by an intent to implement a punitive stance against individuals engaging in protest. 'It is also of serious concern that the case has remained under prolonged police investigation. Despite efforts to expedite the process, the investigation has been unnecessarily delayed. The mere status of being under prolonged criminal investigation imposes a significant burden on the accused and effectively constitutes a form of punishment.' They have now had to return to Iceland for court hearings, and are due to face trial in front of a judge in January 2026. The Foreign Office said it has not been approached for consular assistance but is ready to support. The Icelandic police have also been contacted for comment.

Inside disgusting house of horrors where Pheobe Bishop ‘lived with her killers'… as even ‘the air tastes dirty'
Inside disgusting house of horrors where Pheobe Bishop ‘lived with her killers'… as even ‘the air tastes dirty'

Scottish Sun

time13 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

Inside disgusting house of horrors where Pheobe Bishop ‘lived with her killers'… as even ‘the air tastes dirty'

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HARROWING footage has revealed the disgusting conditions teen Pheobe Bishop was living in with her two alleged killer housemates. Towering piles of rubbish, chains, dog toys and dirty bed sheets can all be seen in the sickening home where Pheobe stayed with James Wood and Tanika Bromley. 9 Harrowing footage has revealed the disgusting conditions teen Pheobe Bishop was living in with her two alleged killer housemates Credit: 7 News 9 Chains and dirty bed sheets can be seen inside the home Credit: 7 News 9 The floor to the bedrooms could barely be seen through the piles of rubbish Credit: 7 News 9 Cops believe Pheobe Bishop was murdered Credit: Facebook Wood, 34, and Bromley, 33, were both formally charged with the 17-year-old's murder earlier this month. And just a day later, human remains were discovered on June 6 by police after a major three week search for a body. As investigations continue into Pheobe's tragic death, the shocking state of her home in Gin Gin has been uncovered. Australian news outlet 7News managed to get access to the property and revealed the squalor Pheobe was enduring in the weeks before her passing. Before entering, the landlord can be heard in the video announcing: "I can't prepare you enough for this." In almost every room the floor was impossible to see due to the mounds of rubbish. Footage shows mountains of half empty soda bottles, unopened packages and full black bin liners in each room. The furniture was all out of place across the house with the sofas falling apart and the beds stained yellow. Even dog poo appeared to be on the floors of the old Queenslander-style home. Due to the horror conditions and poor cleaning, a major issue with the property was the smell. Watch moment cops arrest Pheobe Bishop murder suspect flatmate The landlord added: 'The air tastes dirty… I don't know how people can be breathing this.' He also revealed the home was officially leased out by Bromley six months ago but she had been given a notice to leave after a recent inspection. Pheobe, from Gin Gin north of Brisbane, hadn't been seen or heard from since Thursday, May 15. Police first arrested Wood as he was the last person to see the teen as he reportedly took her to the airport. Cops believe during the drive to the airport, Wood, his girlfriend Bromley, and Pheobe all argued over stopping on the trip. Pheobe wanted to do her makeup in the car as she was on her way to Perth to visit her "high-school sweetheart" boyfriend, Wood said. The teen got her way in the end as Wood said he pulled over less than a kilometre away from their destination. He said: "We wanted to give her five minutes, give her her own space to do what she needed to do." 9 Full black sacks could be seen next to piles of rubbish Credit: 7 News 9 The landlord at the home even admitted 'the air tastes dirty' Credit: 7News 9 Phoebe with her heartbroken mum Credit: Facebook Wood and Bromley then said they walked off and were away from the car for around five minutes. When they returned, Wood said Pheobe and her bag were gone. This was the last time Pheobe was seen as an intense search operation was launched. On May 26, cops made a harrowing revelation. They believed evidence of a potential murder had been moved to cover up what had happened. On this same day, a new number plate was discovered to have been suspiciously painted and taped over Bromley's Hyundai car which drove to the airport. On June 5, police officially charged the couple with murder and two counts of interfering with a corpse. Cops allege Wood, Bromley and Pheobe were all in the car when it arrived at Airport Drive near Bundaberg Airport. They believe that the trio never left the car. Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said: "Our evidence will outline the fact that three people arrived near to the airport, and three people never exited that vehicle." The pair continue to say they had nothing to do with Pheobe's disappearance or death. Wood and Bromley will appear in court on August 11. Pheobe Bishop timeline May 14: Pheobe Bishop's last known bank transaction takes place. May 15: Pheobe is reportedly dropped off near Bundaberg Airport's terminal by her housemates, James Wood and Tanika Bromley, in order to catch a flight to Brisbane and then to Perth to visit her boyfriend. May 15, 8:30am: Pheobe makes a final phone call to her boyfriend before her scheduled flight. Her phone is then switched off and has remained inactive since. May 15, post-8:30am: Pheobe fails to check in for her flight. CCTV footage confirms she did not enter the airport terminal. May 16: Family and police initiate search efforts. Pheobe's social media accounts show no activity during this period. May 21: Police declare Pheobe's disappearance as suspicious. May 24: Nine days after disappearing, Pheobe's distressed mum pleads the public for information. She says she is "absolutely begging anyone with any information to contact the Queensland Police Service". May 25: The search effort is widened to cover more area and homicide officers are brought in to help. June 4: Police call off the "physical search for Pheobe, who has now been missing for three weeks. June 5: Bromley and Wood are both arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts of interfering with a corpse June 6: Police find human remains near the area Pheobe was last seen. 9 33-year-old housemate Tanika Bromley Credit: Enterprise

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store