On August 28, 1986, the President signed Public Law No.
99-399, the Omnibus
Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986. Section 1202 of
the Act
created a new section 2331 of Title 18, U.S.C., (now codified as 18
U.S.C. §
2332) which makes it a Federal crime for a terrorist overseas to
kill a United
States national, attempt to murder a United States national,
conspire to murder
a United States national, or to engage in physical violence with
the intent to
cause serious bodily injury to a United States national or with the
result that
serious bodily injury is caused to a United States national.
Prosecution for any
offense under § 2332 requires the written certification of the
Attorney
General, or the highest ranking subordinate of the Attorney General
with
responsibility for criminal prosecutions, that, in the judgment of
that official,
the offense was intended to coerce, intimidate, or retaliate
against a government
or a civilian population.