§283 Situations Involving Bombings of Places of Public Use, Government Facilities, Public Transportation Systems, and Infrastructure Facilities

Summary

The Department of Defense can help the Department of Justice when the Attorney General asks. That help is for enforcing federal laws against bombings or attacks on public places, government buildings, public transit, and critical infrastructure. Military bomb-disposal teams can make explosives safe during emergencies involving weapons of mass destruction, but they must follow the Defense Department’s existing rules. The Defense Secretary and the Attorney General must write joint rules about what help is allowed and what military personnel may do. Those rules normally do not let service members make arrests, take part in searches or seizures, or gather law-enforcement intelligence. An exception is allowed if the action is needed right away to save lives and civilian police cannot do it, and if other law allows it. Explosive ordnance — weapons and devices that explode (for example, bombs, missiles, ammunition, mines, grenades, demolition charges, pyrotechnics, cluster munitions, cartridge/propellant and electroexplosive devices, improvised explosive devices, and similar items, including munitions with explosives, propellants, or nuclear, chemical, or biological materials).