US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

18 U.S.C. § 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)
section 1112(a) of this title if the killing is a voluntary manslaughter as defined in , be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and
(3)
section 1112(a) of this title if the killing is an involuntary manslaughter as defined in , 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)
section 1111(a) of this title in the case of a conspiracy by two or more persons to commit a killing that is a murder as defined in , 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.

Pub. L. 99–399, title XII, § 1202(a)100 Stat. 896Pub. L. 101–519, § 132(b)104 Stat. 2250Pub. L. 102–27, title IV, § 402105 Stat. 155Pub. L. 102–136, § 126105 Stat. 643Pub. L. 102–572, title X, § 1003(a)(1)106 Stat. 4521Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60022108 Stat. 1980Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, § 705(a)(6)110 Stat. 1295(Added , , , § 2331; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; renumbered § 2332 and amended , (2), , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 104–1321996—Subsec. (c). substituted “ten years” for “five years” in concluding provisions.

Pub. L. 103–322section 1111(a) of this title1994—Subsec. (a)(1). amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “if the killing is a murder as defined in , be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both so fined and so imprisoned;”.

Pub. L. 102–572section 2331 of this titleDefinition8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)1992— renumbered 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: “.—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 ().”

Pub. L. 102–27, § 402Pub. L. 102–136, § 126Pub. L. 101–519, § 132Pub. L. 101–519, § 132Pub. L. 101–5191991—, as amended by , repealed , and amended this section to read as if , had not been enacted, effective as of , the date of enactment of . See Codification note preceding this section.

Pub. L. 101–519, § 132Pub. L. 102–27, § 4021990—, which amended this section, was repealed by , as amended. See 1991 Amendment note above.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1992 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–572section 1003(c) of Pub. L. 102–572section 2331 of this titleAmendment by applicable to any pending case or any cause of action arising on or after 4 years before , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .