Threats and extortion against foreign officials, official guests, or internationally protected persons
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Whoever knowingly and threatens to violate section 112, 1116, or 1201 shall be or imprisoned not more than five years, or both, except that imprisonment for a threatened assault shall not exceed three years.
(b) Whoever in connection with any violation of subsection (a) or actual violation of section 112, 1116, or 1201 makes any extortionate demand shall be or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(c) For the purpose of this section "foreign official", "internationally protected person", "national of the United States", and "official guest" shall have the same meanings as those provided in section 1116(a) of this title.
(d) If the victim of an offense under subsection (a) is an internationally protected person outside the United States, the United States may exercise jurisdiction over the offense if (1) the victim is a representative, officer, employee, or agent of the United States, (2) an offender is a national of the United States, or (3) an offender is afterwards found in the United States.
As used in this subsection, the United States includes all areas under the jurisdiction of the United States including any of the places within the provisions of sections 5 and 7 of this title and section 46501(2) of title 49.
History: (Added Pub. L. 94–467, §8, Oct. 8, 1976, 90 Stat. 2000; amended Pub. L. 95–163, §17(b)(1), Nov. 9, 1977, 91 Stat. 1286 (PDF, 1.9 MB); Pub. L. 95–504, §2(b), Oct. 24, 1978, 92 Stat. 1705 (PDF, 7.7 MB); Pub. L. 103–272, §5(e)(2), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1373 (PDF, 99 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), (N), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB), 2148; Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, §§705(a)(4), 721(e), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1295, 1299.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to threaten to kill, kidnap, or assault foreign officials, official guests, or internationally protected persons (such as foreign diplomats and heads of state), as covered by sections 112, 1116, and 1201. It is also a crime to make an extortion demand (a demand for money or something else, backed by threats) connected to such threats or attacks.