18 U.S.C. § 2332

Criminal penalties

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(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, § 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 NotesAmendments

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, § 402, as amended by Pub. L. 102–136, § 126, repealed Pub. L. 101–519, § 132, and amended 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 section, was repealed by Pub. L. 102–27, § 402, as amended. See 1991 Amendment note above.

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective 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.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 145 cases (14 in the last 5 years), 1996–2025 · leading case: Est. of Parsons v. Palestinian Auth., 651 F.3d 118 (D.C. Cir. 2011).

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Est. of Parsons v. Palestinian Auth., 651 F.3d 118 (D.C. Cir. 2011). · cites it 12× “knowing or intending that they are to be used in preparation for, or in carrying out, a violation of" specific violent crimes, including 18 U.S.C. § 2332 , which prohibits the killing of a United States national outside the United States; and 18 U.”

Ali Hamza Ahmad al Bahlul v. United States, 767 F.3d 1 (D.C. Cir. 2014). · cites it 8× “It is not “plain” that it violates the Ex Post Facto Clause to try a pre-existing federal criminal offense in a military commission and any difference between the elements of that offense and the conspiracy charge in the 2006 MCA does not seriously affect the fairness, integrity…”

Boim v. Holy Land Found. for Relief & Dev., 549 F.3d 685 (7th Cir. 2008). · cites it 6× “, knowing or intending that they are to be used in preparation for, or in carrying out, a violation of [ 18 U.S.C. § 2332 ]," shall be guilty of a federal crime.”

United States v. Wassim Mazloum, 695 F.3d 457 (6th Cir. 2012). · cites it 7× “§ 2339A makes it a punishable offense to “provide[] material support or resources or conceal[] or disguise[] the nature, location, source, or ownership of material support or resources, knowing or intending that they are to be used in preparation for, or in carrying out, a…”

United States v. Yousef, 327 F.3d 56 (2d Cir. 2003). · cites it 10× “Conviction of Yousef Under 18 U.S.C. § 2332 . rH rH A. Prosecutorial Discretion Under Section 2332(d).”

Gamble v. United States, 139 S. Ct. 1960 (2019). · cites it 2× “That is why the killing of an American abroad is a federal offense that can be prose- cuted in our courts, see 18 U. S. C. §2332 (a)(1), and why customary international law allows this exercise of jurisdiction.”

Gill v. Arab Bank, PLC, 893 F. Supp. 2d 474 (E.D.N.Y 2012). · cites it 8× “¶¶ 214-24; see also 18 U.S.C. § 2332 ; 2. The Bank conspired with Hamas to commit acts of violence and committed overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.”

United States v. Cromitie (Williams), 727 F.3d 194 (2d Cir. 2013). · cites it 5× “§ 2332a); Counts Two, Three, and Four -- attempt to use weapons of mass destruction near or at the Riverdale Temple, in the Bronx, the Riverdale Jewish Center (a synagogue) in the Bronx, and the New York Air National Guard Base at Newburgh, respectively (18 U.S.C. § 2332a);…”

United States v. Siddiqui, 699 F.3d 690 (2d Cir. 2012). · cites it 5× “) entered on September 23, 2010, convicting her after a jury trial of one count of attempted murder of United States nationals in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332 (b)(1); one count of attempted murder of United States officers and employees in violation of 18 U.”

Fernandez v. Keisler, 502 F.3d 337 (4th Cir. 2007). · cites it 4× “One such "law of the United States" is 18 U.S.C.A. § 2332 (a), which criminalizes the murder of a "national of the United States.”

Linde v. Arab Bank, PLC, 384 F. Supp. 2d 571 (E.D.N.Y 2005). · cites it 4× “Based on these allegations, the Linde plaintiffs assert the following claims: Count One alleges that Arab Bank aided and abetted the murder, attempted murder, and serious bodily injury of United States nationals, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332 (a), (b), and (c), by providing…”

Goldberg v. UBS AG, 660 F. Supp. 2d 410 (E.D.N.Y 2009). · cites it 4× “§ 2333 (a) 1 alleging that UBS is liable for: (1) aiding and abetting the murder or attempted murder of a United States citizen or causing the commission or attempted commission of physical violence upon United States Citizens in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332 (a)-(e) 2 and 18…”

Show all 145 citing cases →

— 18 U.S.C. § 2332(a) — 1 case

United States v. Morin (4th Cir. 1996).

— 18 U.S.C. § 2332(a)(1) — 2 cases

United States v. Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah, 94 F.4th 782 (9th Cir. 2023).

United States v. Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah (9th Cir. 2024).

— 18 U.S.C. § 2332(d) — 1 case

United States v. Morin (4th Cir. 1996).

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