50 U.S.C. § 3121

Current through P.L. 118-78 (published on www.congress.gov on 07/30/2024)

Section 3121 - Protection of identities of certain United States undercover intelligence officers, agents, informants, and sources

(a) Disclosure of information by persons having or having had access to classified information that identifies covert agent

Whoever, having or having had authorized access to classified information that identifies a covert agent, intentionally discloses any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.

(b) Disclosure of information by persons who learn identity of covert agents as result of having access to classified information

Whoever, as a result of having authorized access to classified information, learns the identity of a covert agent and intentionally discloses any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent's intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

(c) Disclosure of information by persons in course of pattern of activities intended to identify and expose covert agents

Whoever, in the course of a pattern of activities intended to identify and expose covert agents and with reason to believe that such activities would impair or impede the foreign intelligence activities of the United States, discloses any information that identifies an individual as a covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such individual and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such individual's classified intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

(d) Imposition of consecutive sentences

A term of imprisonment imposed under this section shall be consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment.

50 U.S.C. § 3121

July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title VI, §601, as added Pub. L. 97-200, §2(a), June 23, 1982, 96 Stat. 122; amended Pub. L. 106-120, §304, 113 Stat. 1611; Pub. L. 111-259, §363, 124 Stat. 2701.

EDITORIAL NOTES

CODIFICATIONSection was formerly classified to section 421 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

AMENDMENTS2010-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111-259, §363(a)(1), substituted "15 years" for "ten years".Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111-259, §363(a)(2), substituted "10 years" for "five years". 1999-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106-120, §304(b)(2)(A), substituted "shall be fined under title 18" for "shall be fined not more than $50,000".Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106-120, §304(b)(2)(B), substituted "shall be fined under title 18" for "shall be fined not more than $25,000". Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106-120, §304(b)(2)(C), substituted "shall be fined under title 18" for "shall be fined not more than $15,000".Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106-120, §304(b)(1), added subsec. (d).

foreign intelligence: The term "foreign intelligence" means information relating to the capabilities, intentions, or activities of foreign governments or elements thereof, foreign organizations, or foreign persons, or international terrorist activities.
intelligence: The term "intelligence" includes foreign intelligence and counterintelligence.