18 U.S.C. § 2332a — Use of weapons of mass destruction

Page 589 TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE § 2332a Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2018 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 115–253, § 2(b), Oct. 3, 2018, 132 Stat. 3183, pro- vided that: ‘‘The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to any civil action pending on or commenced after the date of the enact- ment of this Act [Oct. 3, 2018].’’ EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 102–572, title X, § 1003(c), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4524, provided that: ‘‘This section [enacting this section and sections 2333 to 2338 of this title, amending former section 2331 of this title, and renumbering former sec- tion 2331 of this title as 2332] and the amendments made by this section shall apply to any pending case or any cause of action arising on or after 4 years before the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 29, 1992].’’ SHORT TITLE OF 2004 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6601, Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3761, provided that: ‘‘This subtitle [subtitle G (§§ 6601–6604) of title VI of Pub. L. 108–458, enacting sec- tion 2339D of this title, amending sections 2332b and 2339A to 2339C of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 2332b of this title] may be cited as the ‘Material Support to Terrorism Prohibition Enhancement Act of 2004’.’’ SHORT TITLE OF 2002 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 107–197, title I, § 101, June 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 721, provided that: ‘‘This title [enacting section 2332f of this title and provisions set out as notes under section 2332f of this title] may be cited as the ‘Terrorist Bomb- ings Convention Implementation Act of 2002’.’’ Pub. L. 107–197, title II, § 201, June 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 724, provided that: ‘‘This title [enacting section 2339C of this title and provisions set out as notes under section 2339C of this title] may be cited as the ‘Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism Convention Implementa- tion Act of 2002’.’’ § 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 sec- tion 1111(a)), be fined under this title, pun- ished 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 man- slaughter 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 impris- oned 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 con- spiracy, 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 prosecu- tion 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 Attor- ney General with responsibility for criminal prosecutions that, in the judgment of the certi- fying official, such offense was intended to co- erce, intimidate, or retaliate against a govern- ment or a civilian population. (Added Pub. L. 99–399, title XII, § 1202(a), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 896, § 2331; amended Pub. L. 101–519, § 132(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2250; Pub. L. 102–27, title IV, § 402, Apr. 10, 1991, 105 Stat. 155; Pub. L. 102–136, § 126, Oct. 25, 1991, 105 Stat. 643; renumbered § 2332 and amended Pub. L. 102–572, title X, § 1003(a)(1), (2), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4521; Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60022, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1980; Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, § 705(a)(6), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1295.) Editorial Notes 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 im- prisoned;’’. 1992—Pub. L. 102–572 renumbered section 2331 of this title as this section, substituted ‘‘Criminal penalties’’ for ‘‘Terrorist acts abroad against United States na- tional’’ in section catchline, redesignated subsec. (e) as (d), and struck out former subsec. (d) which read as fol- lows: ‘‘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, § 402, as amended by Pub. L. 102–136, § 126, repealed Pub. L. 101–519, § 132, and amend- ed this section to read as if Pub. L. 101–519, § 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, § 132, which amended this sec- tion, was repealed by Pub. L. 102–27, § 402, as amended. See 1991 Amendment note above. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries 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. § 2332a. Use of weapons of mass destruction (a) OFFENSE AGAINST A NATIONAL OF THE UNITED STATES OR WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.— A person who, without lawful authority, uses, threatens, or attempts or conspires to use, a weapon of mass destruction— Page 590 TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE § 2332b (1) against a national of the United States while such national is outside of the United States; (2) against any person or property within the United States, and (A) the mail or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce is used in furtherance of the offense; (B) such property is used in interstate or foreign commerce or in an activity that af- fects interstate or foreign commerce; (C) any perpetrator travels in or causes an- other to travel in interstate or foreign com- merce in furtherance of the offense; or (D) the offense, or the results of the of- fense, affect interstate or foreign commerce, or, in the case of a threat, attempt, or con- spiracy, would have affected interstate or foreign commerce; (3) against any property that is owned, leased or used by the United States or by any department or agency of the United States, whether the property is within or outside of the United States; or (4) against any property within the United States that is owned, leased, or used by a for- eign government, shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, and if death results, shall be punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life. (b) OFFENSE BY NATIONAL OF THE UNITED STATES OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.—Any national of the United States who, without law- ful authority, uses, or threatens, attempts, or conspires to use, a weapon of mass destruction outside of the United States shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, and if death re- sults, shall be punished by death, or by impris- onment for any term of years or for life. (c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sec- tion— (1) the term ‘‘national of the United States’’ has the meaning given in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)); (2) the term ‘‘weapon of mass destruction’’ means— (A) any destructive device as defined in section 921 of this title; (B) any weapon that is designed or in- tended to cause death or serious bodily in- jury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, or their precursors; (C) any weapon involving a biological agent, toxin, or vector (as those terms are defined in section 178 of this title); or (D) any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dan- gerous to human life; and (3) the term ‘‘property’’ includes all real and personal property. (Added Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60023(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1980; amended Pub. L. 104–132, title V, § 511(c), title VII, § 725, Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1284, 1300; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 605(m), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3510; Pub. L. 105–277, div. I, title II, § 201(b)(1), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–871; Pub. L. 107–188, title II, § 231(d), June 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 661; Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6802(a), (b), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3766, 3767.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2004—Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(b)(1), struck out ‘‘certain’’ before ‘‘weapons’’ in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(b)(2), struck out ‘‘(other than a chemical weapon as that term is defined in section 229F)’’ after ‘‘mass destruction’’ in introduc- tory provisions. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(a)(1), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: ‘‘against any person within the United States, and the results of such use affect interstate or foreign commerce or, in the case of a threat, attempt, or con- spiracy, would have affected interstate or foreign com- merce; or’’. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(a)(2), (3), added par. (4). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(b)(3), struck out ‘‘(other than a chemical weapon (as that term is de- fined in section 229F))’’ after ‘‘mass destruction’’. Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(a)(4)–(6), added par. (3). 2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(d)(1), sub- stituted ‘‘section 229F)—’’ for ‘‘section 229F), including any biological agent, toxin, or vector (as those terms are defined in section 178)—’’ in introductory provi- sions. Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(d)(2), sub- stituted ‘‘a biological agent, toxin, or vector (as those terms are defined in section 178 of this title)’’ for ‘‘a disease organism’’. 1998—Pub. L. 105–277, § 201(b)(1)(A), inserted ‘‘certain’’ before ‘‘weapons’’ in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–277, § 201(b)(1)(B), inserted ‘‘(other than a chemical weapon as that term is defined in section 229F)’’ after ‘‘weapon of mass destruction’’ in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–277, § 201(b)(1)(C), inserted ‘‘(other than a chemical weapon (as that term is de- fined in section 229F))’’ after ‘‘weapon of mass destruc- tion’’. 1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–132, §§ 511(c), 725(1)(A), (B), in heading, inserted ‘‘AGAINST A NATIONAL OF THE UNITED STATES OR WITHIN THE UNITED STATES’’ after ‘‘OFFENSE’’, and in introductory provisions, substituted ‘‘, without lawful authority, uses, threatens, or at- tempts’’ for ‘‘uses, or attempts’’ and inserted ‘‘, including any biological agent, toxin, or vector (as those terms are defined in section 178)’’ after ‘‘mass de- struction’’. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 104–132, § 725(1)(C), inserted be- fore semicolon at end ‘‘, and the results of such use af- fect interstate or foreign commerce or, in the case of a threat, attempt, or conspiracy, would have affected interstate or foreign commerce’’. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–132, § 725(4), added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c). Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 104–132, § 725(2), as amended by Pub. L. 104–294, § 605(m), added subpar. (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: ‘‘poison gas;’’. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–132, § 725(3), redesignated sub- sec. (b) as (c). § 2332b. Acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries (a) PROHIBITED ACTS.— (1) OFFENSES.—Whoever, involving conduct transcending national boundaries and in a cir- cumstance described in subsection (b)— (A) kills, kidnaps, maims, commits an as- sault resulting in serious bodily injury, or