§ 37

Violence at international airports

Death penalty possible Transportation & Aviation None sentenced (FY2025) Ch. 2 · Aircraft and Motor Vehicles

Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term

(a) Offense. A person who unlawfully and intentionally, using any device, substance, or weapon—

(1) performs an act of violence against a person at an airport serving international civil aviation that causes or is likely to cause (as defined in section 1365 of this title) or death; or

(2) destroys or seriously damages the facilities of an airport serving international civil aviation or a civil aircraft not in service located thereon or disrupts the services of the airport,

if such an act endangers or is likely to endanger safety at that airport, or or to do such an act, shall be , imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and if the death of any person results from conduct prohibited by this subsection, shall be punished by death or imprisoned for any term of years or for life.

(b) Jurisdiction. There is jurisdiction over the prohibited activity in subsection (a) if—

(1) the prohibited activity takes place in the United States; or

(2) the prohibited activity takes place outside the United States and (A) the offender is later found in the United States; or (B) an offender or a victim is a national of the United States (as defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22))).

(c) Bar to Prosecution. It is a bar to Federal prosecution under subsection (a) for conduct that occurred within the United States that the conduct involved was during or in relation to a labor dispute, and such conduct is prohibited as a under the law of the State in which it was committed.

For purposes of this section, the term "labor dispute" has the meaning set forth in section 2(c) [1] of the Norris-LaGuardia Act, as amended (29 U.S.C. 113(c)), and the term "State" means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

History: (Added Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, §60021(a), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1979 (PDF, 52 MB); amended Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, §§721(g), 723(a)(1), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1299, 1300; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §§601(q), 607(o), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3502, 3512.)

1 So in original. Probably should be section "13(c)".

Simplified explanation

It is a federal crime to intentionally use a device, substance, or weapon to commit violence against a person at an airport serving international flights, if the act causes or is likely to cause serious injury or death. It is also a crime to destroy or seriously damage such an airport's facilities or parked civil aircraft, or to disrupt airport services, when this endangers safety at the airport.