Conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a)
(1) Whoever, within the jurisdiction of the United States, with one or more other persons, regardless of where such other person or persons are located, to commit at any place outside the United States an act that would constitute the offense of murder, kidnapping, or maiming if committed in the shall, if any of the conspirators commits an act within the jurisdiction of the United States to effect any object of the , be punished as provided in subsection (a)(2).
(2) The punishment for an offense under subsection (a)(1) of this section is—
(A) imprisonment for any term of years or for life if the offense is to murder or kidnap; and
(B) imprisonment for not more than 35 years if the offense is to maim.
(b) Whoever, within the jurisdiction of the United States, with one or more persons, regardless of where such other person or persons are located, to damage or destroy specific property situated within a foreign country and belonging to a foreign government or to any political subdivision thereof with which the United States is at peace, or any railroad, canal, bridge, airport, airfield, or other public utility, public conveyance, or public structure, or any religious, educational, or cultural property so situated, shall, if any of the conspirators commits an act within the jurisdiction of the United States to effect any object of the , be imprisoned not more than 25 years.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 744 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, §704(a), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1294.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a person in U.S. jurisdiction to conspire (agree with others) to commit murder, kidnapping, or maiming in another country. It is also a crime to conspire to damage certain property abroad, such as foreign government property, bridges, airports, or religious or school buildings, in a country at peace with the U.S.