Omnibus Antiterrorism Act of 1981

Omnibus Antiterrorism Act of 1981 - Directs the President to report biannually to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on acts of international terrorism or within 60 days of an incident affecting U.S. citizens or property.

Directs the President to submit to Congress a list of nations which have demonstrated a pattern of support for international terrorism. Grants Congress the authority to veto, by Concurrent resolution, a presidential request to remove a foreign state from the list. Specifies sanctions to be imposed upon such nations, including: (1) denial of foreign assistance; (2) an embargo on the sale of any defense articles or extension of credit under the Arms Export Control Act; (3) denial and revocation of an export license with respect to commodities or technical data which would enhance any such nation's military or terrorist capabilities; (4) disallowance of duty-free treatment under the Trade Act of 1974; and (5) denial of entry into or continued status in the United States for nationals for the purpose of education.

Permits the President to suspend application of these sanctions in the interests of national security after consulting with the appropriate Congressional committees. Authorizes the President to exercise other appropriate sanctions.

Directs the President to submit biannually to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a Report on Federal and International Capabilities to Combat Terrorism, which include a comprehensive and specific review of Federal antiterrorism organization, policies, and activities.

Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to direct the Secretary of Transportation to assess the effectiveness of security measures maintained at foreign airports and report such assessments to Congress. Authorizes the Secretary, after notifying the appropriate foreign authorities, to restrict operations at foreign airports failing to bring their security measures to the standards and recommendations set forth at the Montreal Convention on International Civil Aviation. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance to foreign governments for promoting aviation security. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1982 through 1984 for such purpose.

Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to empower the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to authorize FAA employees to carry firearms in connection with their air transportation security duties and to make arrests. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should seek international agreements to assure more effective cooperation in combating international terrorism and offer substantial U.S. assistance for such purpose. Directs the President to develop standards and programs to insure the full implementation of the provisions of the Montreal Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation.

Amends the Federal criminal code to redefine the offense of "destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities" to, among other revisions: (1) prohibit communicating false information which endangers any aircraft in flight; (2) prohibit any act of violence against any individual on an aircraft which is likely to endanger the aircraft in service; and (3) define "in service" to mean pre- and post-flight ground preparation.

Establishes criminal penalties for whoever commits an offense in violation of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation and is afterward found in the United States.

Establishes a new Federal crime of "imparting or conveying threats" to commit an act which would constitute the felony of aircraft sabotage if executed.

Amends the Federal Aviation Act to establish civil penalties for conveying false information regarding aircraft crimes and concealing a deadly weapon while boarding an aircraft. Makes any person who willfully and maliciously conveys false information criminally liable.

Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit the pretrial release of any person charged with an act of terrorism if the judicial officer determines that release would pose a danger to any person or to the community.

Amends the District of Columbia Code to establish a rebuttable presumption that the release of any person charged with an act of terrorism will not reasonably assure the safety of any other person or the community.