§878 . Threats and extortion against foreign officials, official guests, or internationally protected persons

(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully threatens to violate section 112, 1116, or 1201 by killing, kidnapping, or assaulting a foreign official, official guest, or internationally protected person shall be fined under this title 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 fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

(c) For the purpose of this section "foreign official", "internationally protected person", 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, the United States may exercise jurisdiction over the offense if the alleged offender is present within the United States, irrespective of the place where the offense was committed or the nationality of the victim or the alleged offender. 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.

(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 ; Pub. L. 95–504, §2(b), Oct. 24, 1978, 92 Stat. 1705 ; Pub. L. 103–272, §5(e)(2), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1373 ; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), (N), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 , 2148.)

Amendments

1994-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322, §330016(1)(K), substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $5,000".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–322, §330016(1)(N), substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $20,000".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–272 substituted "section 46501(2) of title 49" for "section 101(38) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended (49 U.S.C. 1301(38))".

1978-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–504 substituted reference to section 101(38) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 for reference to section 101(35) of such Act.

1977-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–163 substituted reference to section 101(35) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 for reference to section 101(34) of such Act.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 11 of this title.