§ 2332. — Criminal penalties.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC2332]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 113B--TERRORISM
Sec. 2332. Criminal penalties
(a) Homicide.--Whoever kills a national of the United States, while
such national is outside the United States, shall--
(1) if the killing is murder (as defined in section 1111(a)), be
fined under this title, punished by death or imprisonment for any
term of years or for life, or both;
(2) if the killing is a voluntary manslaughter as defined in
section 1112(a) of this title, be fined under this title or
imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and
(3) if the killing is an involuntary manslaughter as defined in
section 1112(a) of this title, be fined under this title or
imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
(b) Attempt or Conspiracy With Respect to Homicide.--Whoever outside
the United States attempts to kill, or engages in a conspiracy to kill,
a national of the United States shall--
(1) in the case of an attempt to commit a killing that is a
murder as defined in this chapter, be fined under this title or
imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and
(2) in the case of a conspiracy by two or more persons to commit
a killing that is a murder as defined in section 1111(a) of this
title, if one or more of such persons do any overt act to effect the
object of the conspiracy, be fined under this title or imprisoned
for any term of years or for life, or both so fined and so
imprisoned.
(c) Other Conduct.--Whoever outside the United States engages in
physical violence--
(1) with intent to cause serious bodily injury to a national of
the United States; or
(2) with the result that serious bodily injury is caused to a
national of the United States;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years,
or both.
(d) Limitation on Prosecution.--No prosecution for any offense
described in this section shall be undertaken by the United States
except on written certification of the Attorney General or the highest
ranking subordinate of the Attorney General with responsibility for
criminal prosecutions that, in the judgment of the certifying official,
such offense was intended to coerce, intimidate, or retaliate against a
government or a civilian population.
(Added Pub. L. 99-399, title XII, Sec. 1202(a), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat.
896, Sec. 2331; amended Pub. L. 101-519, Sec. 132(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104
Stat. 2250; Pub. L. 102-27, title IV, Sec. 402, Apr. 10, 1991, 105 Stat.
155; Pub. L. 102-136, Sec. 126, Oct. 25, 1991, 105 Stat. 643; renumbered
Sec. 2332 and amended Pub. L. 102-572, title X, Sec. 1003(a)(1), (2),
Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4521; Pub. L. 103-322, title VI, Sec. 60022,
Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1980; Pub. L. 104-132, title VII,
Sec. 705(a)(6), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1295.)
Amendments
1996--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104-132 substituted ``ten years'' for
``five years'' in concluding provisions.
1994--Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103-322 amended par. (1) generally.
Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: ``if the killing is a
murder as defined in section 1111(a) of this title, be fined under this
title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both so fined
and so imprisoned;''.
1992--Pub. L. 102-572 renumbered section 2331 of this title as this
section, substituted ``Criminal penalties'' for ``Terrorist acts abroad
against United States national'' in section catchline, redesignated
subsec. (e) as (d), and struck out former subsec. (d) which read as
follows: ``Definition.--As used in this section the term `national of
the United States' has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(22)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)).''
1991--Pub. L. 102-27, Sec. 402, as amended by Pub. L. 102-136,
Sec. 126, repealed Pub. L. 101-519, Sec. 132, and amended this section
to read as if Pub. L. 101-519, Sec. 132, had not been enacted, effective
as of Nov. 5, 1990, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 101-519. See
Codification note preceding this section.
1990--Pub. L. 101-519, Sec. 132, which amended this section, was
repealed by Pub. L. 102-27, Sec. 402, as amended. See 1991 Amendment
note above.
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 102-572 applicable to any pending case or any
cause of action arising on or after 4 years before Oct. 29, 1992, see
section 1003(c) of Pub. L. 102-572, set out as an Effective Date note
under section 2331 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 1956, 2332b, 2333, 2339A,
2516, 3592 of this title.
