§2332f Bombings of places of public use, government facilities, public transportation systems and infrastructure facilities

Summary

It makes it a crime to illegally place, set off, or try to use explosives or other deadly devices at public places, government buildings, public transit, or infrastructure when the person means to kill or seriously hurt people or to cause wide destruction that could lead to major economic loss. Trying or planning to do this is also a crime. The law covers many situations that connect the act to the United States: crimes that happen in the U.S. but involve foreign states or their embassies, attempts to force a government to act, acts on foreign-flag ships or foreign-registered or -operated aircraft, cases where the attacker is found outside the U.S., or when the attacker or victim is a foreign national or stateless person. It also covers attacks that happen outside the U.S. if a U.S. national is involved, if the attacker is later found in the U.S., if the target is a U.S. government facility or U.S.-flag ship or U.S.-registered or -operated aircraft, or if the act tries to force the U.S. to act. People who break the law are punished under related federal bombing laws. The rule does not apply to lawful military actions in war, official acts by a state’s military, or purely domestic cases where everyone involved is a U.S. citizen, the offender is in the U.S., and the crime has no real effect on interstate or foreign commerce. Key terms (one line each): serious bodily injury — severe harm as defined elsewhere; national of the United States — defined in immigration law; state or government facility — any place used by government officials; intergovernmental organization — includes international organizations; infrastructure facility — services like water, sewage, energy, fuel, or communications; place of public use — places open to the public like stores, schools, or parks; public transportation system — public travel services and vehicles; explosive — a device that can kill, seriously injure, or cause big damage; other lethal device — a weapon that can kill or harm using toxic chemicals, biological agents, toxins, or radiation; military forces of a state — armed forces organized for national defense; armed conflict — war between states, not riots or isolated violence; state — a country, including its parts.