1、Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21306September 6, 2002Terrorism and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction inCriminal Cases: Recent Developments in Briefname redactedSenior SpecialistAmerican Law DivisionSummaryMost crime i
2、s territorial. It is proscribed, investigated, tried, and punished underthe law of the place where it occurs. As a general rule, no nations laws apply withinthe territory of another. Yet in a surprising number of instances, federal criminal lawdoes apply overseas to U.S. citizens and foreign nationa
3、ls. As long as there is somenexus to the United States, federal law authorizes prosecution practical, diplomatic,and procedural impediments notwithstanding. In the 107th Congress, the USA PATRIOT Act and the legislation implementingthe international conventions on terrorist bombings and on financing
4、 terrorism haveextended the substantive authority for federal prosecution of crimes occurring elsewhere.This is an abridged version of CRS Report RL31557, Terrorism and ExtraterritorialJurisdiction in Criminal Cases: Recent Developments, stripped of its footnotes and mostcitations.Extraterritorial J