Iraqi authorities have announced the arrest of senior leaders of the Sweden-based “Foxtrot” criminal network. The group is accused of conducting criminal operations, including attacks against Israeli interests in Europe at the behest of Iran.
In a statement issued late Tuesday, the Iraqi National Intelligence Service confirmed the arrests were made following “precise intelligence information and internal and external tracking operations.” The operation was coordinated with the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation and security authorities in the Sulaymaniyah governorate. The individuals arrested were subject to both local and international warrants.
The Foxtrot network has been under international scrutiny. In March, Washington imposed sanctions on the group, stating that the Iranian government had utilized it to execute attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets, including an incident at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm in January 2024. The United Kingdom followed with similar sanctions a month later.
Rawa Majid, the network’s leader, was specifically sanctioned for his alleged close cooperation with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and National Security. The criminal organization is implicated in arms and drug trafficking, as well as violent acts in Northern Europe, such as shootings and contract killings.
According to the Iraqi statement, the arrests occurred simultaneously across several provinces as the network attempted to establish Iraq as a base for its criminal activities.
On Monday, Europol also announced the arrest in Iraq of a 21-year-old Swedish citizen described as a key organizer of violent acts targeting Sweden. The suspect, who was on the EU’s most-wanted list, is believed to have played a central role in coordinating “violence as a service” for the Foxtrot network, which included recruiting minors for criminal activities.
