Whoever sets fire to any vessel of foreign registry, or any vessel of American registry entitled to engage in commerce with foreign nations, or to any vessel of the United States, or to the cargo of the same, or tampers with the motive power of instrumentalities of navigation of such vessel, or places bombs or explosives in or upon such vessel, or does any other act to or upon such vessel while within the jurisdiction of the United States, or, if such vessel is of American registry, while she is on the high sea, with intent to injure or endanger the safety of the vessel or of her cargo, or of persons on board, whether the injury or danger is so intended to take place within the jurisdiction of the United States, or after the vessel shall have departed therefrom and whoever attempts to do so shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
June 25, 1948, ch. 645 62 Stat. 804 Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L)108 Stat. 2147 (, ; , , .)
Historical and Revision Notes
June 15, 1917, ch. 30 40 Stat. 221 Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 502 (, title III, § 1, ).
section 501 of this titlesection 9 of this titleWords “as defined in ,” were omitted in view of , defining vessel of the United States.
section 5 of this titleLast sentence of said section 502, defining “United States”, was incorporated in .
section 371 of this titleProvision prohibiting conspiracy was deleted as adequately covered by the general conspiracy statute, .
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
Pub. L. 103–3221994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.