A Qatar national of Algerian origin, who was allegedly part of a bomb blast at the Algerian airport in 1992, has been taken into custody by the CBI after he was detained by the Immigration authorities at the Chennai airport late on Wednesday night.

Saleem Abbasi, a 42-year-old businessman who landed here from Malaysia, was taken into custody as a Interpol red corner notice has been pending against him since 1993. Police sources said Saleem claimed he was a businessman who came to India to discuss solar energy projects. He was to proceed to Bangalore from here. The intelligence officials are learnt to have conducted a check and found nothing against Saleem in India.

On Friday, the CBI, which represents the Interpol, took Saleem into custody and contacted their counterparts in Algiers for further action.

Saleem, son of Algerian Islamist leader Madhani Abbasi, was allegedly involved in the bombing of the Houari Boumediene Airport in Algeria in August 1992, which killed nine and scores of others.