Act to Combat International Terrorism

(Reported to Senate from the Select Committee on Intelligence with amendment, S. Rept. 95-1079)

Act to Combat International Terrorism - States that the purpose of this Act is to promote appropriate action by the United States and other governments and international organizations in order to combat international terrorism and provide public notice of deficient security programs and facilities at certain foreign airports.

Requires the President to transmit a report on incidents of international terrorism to the Congress. Sets forth information to be included in reports on such incidents which affect or involve citizens or significant interests or property of the United States, or any major act of international terrorism. Directs the President to determine those foreign states which support such acts and to submit a detailed, substantive list of such states to the Congress. Allows the President to place additional states on the list of any time.

Empowers the President to take such measures as deemed appropriate in devising initiatives to combat international terrorism actions and to reduce state support for such actions. Includes among such measures available to the President the suspension of assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and specific sanctions towards foreign governments which support acts of terrorism, including prohibiting foreign nationals of such country entry into the United States for the purpose of acquiring training or education in nuclear sciences of subjects having military applicability.

Requires the President to submit to the Congress a Report on Federal and International Capabilities to Combat Terrorism which shall include a review of Federal antiterrorism organization and policies and an assessment of the effectiveness of the International Civil Aviation Organization and other pertinent international programs.

Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to direct the Secretary of Transportation to conduct assessments of the effectiveness of security measures maintained at foreign airports serving United States carriers, and other foreign airports deemed appropriate. Requires such security measures to be equal to or above the standards established pursuant to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. Makes it the duty of the Secretary to identify such airports not maintaining effective security measures, to publish in the Federal Register and post at all United States airports such identified airports, and to withhold, revoke, or impose conditions on operating authority of any carrier to utilize such airport.

Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance concerning aviation security to foreign governments which may be required to reimburse the United States for such assistance. Authorizes appropriations for such security assistance for fiscal years 1980, 1981, and 1982.

Urges the President to negotiate international agreements which would establish a permanent international working group, including but not limited to, law enforcement and crisis management to combat terrorism through observance of specific international conventions and new methods developed pursuant to this Act.

Extends existing security measures to include chartered air transportation operations.

Makes it unlawful for any person or persons to manufacture, transport or receive, import or resell any explosive material which does not contain an identification taggant or a detection taggant. Sets time periods for satisfying the standards promulgated by the Secretary of the Treasury concerning identification and detection taggants. Prescribes criminal penalties for violating such standards. Exempts explosive materials designated by the President or his designee to be used for national security or defense from the taggant requirement.

Directs the President to develop Standards and programs insuring full implementation of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation (Montreal, September 23, 1971).

Imposes a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment of not more than 20 years, or both on: (1) whoever willfully sets fire to, damages, destroys, or interfers with the operation of any civil aircraft, any air navigation facility, or any appliance, structure, ramp, landing area, or other material used in connection with interstate, overseas, or foreign air commerce; (2) whoever willfully incapacitates any passenger or member of the crew of any such aircraft; and (3) whoever willfully communicates false information, thereby endangering the safety of any such aircraft while in flight. Allows such fine to be imposed on anyone who commits such offenses against or on board an aircraft registered in a state other than the United States and is afterwards found in this country.

Makes a threat to destroy, damage, or disable aircraft or related facilities a felony. States that the fine for such offense shall be not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both.

States that any person who (1) imparts or conveys false information concerning an attempt or alleged attempt of any crime prohibited by this Act or (2) boards or attempts to board any appropriate aircraft with a concealed deadly or dangerous weapon which is accessible to such person inflight shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 which shall be recoverable in a civil action brought in the name of the United States. Allows duly authorized personnel and officers to carry arms.

Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to prescribe regulations to prohibit unauthorized disclosure of nuclear material security information which could facilitate the theft or diversion of specified nuclear materials. Subjects violators of such regulations to civil monetary penalties.

Requires all classified intelligence information used for the purposes of this Act to be held for Congress by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Directs preparation of unclassified summaries of such information and subsequent submission of these summaries to the Congress.