§ 2281. — Violence against maritime fixed platforms.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC2281]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 111--SHIPPING
Sec. 2281. Violence against maritime fixed platforms
(a) Offenses.--
(1) In general.--A person who unlawfully and intentionally--
(A) seizes or exercises control over a fixed platform by
force or threat thereof or any other form of intimidation;
(B) performs an act of violence against a person on board a
fixed platform if that act is likely to endanger its safety;
(C) destroys a fixed platform or causes damage to it which
is likely to endanger its safety;
(D) places or causes to be placed on a fixed platform, by
any means whatsoever, a device or substance which is likely to
destroy that fixed platform or likely to endanger its safety;
(E) injures or kills any person in connection with the
commission or the attempted commission of any of the offenses
set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (D); or
(F) attempts or conspires to do anything prohibited under
subparagraphs (A) through (E),
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years,
or both; and if death results to any person from conduct prohibited
by this paragraph, shall be punished by death or imprisoned for any
term of years or for life.
(2) Threat to safety.--A person who threatens to do anything
prohibited under paragraph (1)(B) or (C), with apparent
determination and will to carry the threat into execution, if the
threatened act is likely to endanger the safety of the fixed
platform, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than
5 years, or both.
(b) Jurisdiction.--There is jurisdiction over the activity
prohibited in subsection (a) if--
(1) such activity is committed against or on board a fixed
platform--
(A) that is located on the continental shelf of the United
States;
(B) that is located on the continental shelf of another
country, by a national of the United States or by a stateless
person whose habitual residence is in the United States; or
(C) in an attempt to compel the United States to do or
abstain from doing any act;
(2) during the commission of such activity against or on board a
fixed platform located on a continental shelf, a national of the
United States is seized, threatened, injured or killed; or
(3) such activity is committed against or on board a fixed
platform located outside the United States and beyond the
continental shelf of the United States and the offender is later
found in the United States.
(c) Bar To Prosecution.--It is a bar to Federal prosecution under
subsection (a) for conduct that occurred within the United States that
the conduct involved was during or in relation to a labor dispute, and
such conduct is prohibited as a felony under the law of the State in
which it was committed. For purposes of this section, the term ``labor
dispute'' has the meaning set forth in section 2(c) \1\ of the Norris-
LaGuardia Act, as amended (29 U.S.C. 113(c)), and the term ``State''
means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any
commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
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\1\ So in original. Probably should be section ``13(c)''.
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(d) Definitions.--In this section--
``continental shelf'' means the sea-bed and subsoil of the
submarine areas that extend beyond a country's territorial sea to
the limits provided by customary international law as reflected in
Article 76 of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.
``fixed platform'' means an artificial island, installation or
structure permanently attached to the sea-bed for the purpose of
exploration or exploitation of resources or for other economic
purposes.
``national of the United States'' has the meaning stated in
section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(22)).
``territorial sea of the United States'' means all waters
extending seaward to 12 nautical miles from the baselines of the
United States determined in accordance with international law.
``United States'', when used in a geographical sense, includes
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands and all territories and possessions of the United
States.
(Added Pub. L. 103-322, title VI, Sec. 60019(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108
Stat. 1977; amended Pub. L. 104-132, title VII, Sec. 723(a)(1), Apr. 24,
1996, 110 Stat. 1300; Pub. L. 104-294, title VI, Sec. 607(p), Oct. 11,
1996, 110 Stat. 3513.)
Amendments
1996--Subsec. (a)(1)(F). Pub. L. 104-132 inserted ``or conspires''
after ``attempts''.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104-294 inserted before period at end ``, and
the term `State' means a State of the United States, the District of
Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United
States''.
Effective Date
Section effective Mar. 6, 1995, see section 60019(c)(1), (2)(B) of
Pub. L. 103-322, set out as a note under section 2280 of this title.
Territorial Sea of United States
For extension of territorial sea of United States, see Proc. No.
5928, set out as a note under section 1331 of Title 43, Public Lands.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 1956, 2332b, 2339A, 3592 of
this title.
