Brussels - (AFP) - Greek Socialist MP Eva Kaili, one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament , was arrested Friday evening in Brussels as part of an investigation into suspicions of corruption related to Qatar, according to an informed source told AFP.

Four other people were arrested in the Belgian capital on Friday morning in connection with the same case. The source said that Kylie, who is the companion of one of the four suspects, was "stopped for a hearing" by the police.

For its part, the Greek Socialist Party (Pasok Kinal), to which Kylie belongs, announced in the evening that she had been "dismissed."

The investigation, led by a judge in Brussels, revolves around the actions of a "Gulf country" suspected of "influencing the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament, by paying large sums of money or presenting large gifts," according to the Federal Prosecutor's Office.

As for the recipients of the sums and gifts, they are people who "have political and/or strategic positions" within the European Parliament.

Among the four arrested is a parliamentary aide attached to the Socialists and Democrats bloc, Rafiq Eva Kaili, as well as the former Italian deputy in the European Parliament, Pierre Antonio Panziri, who is also a socialist. The other two are an NGO director and an Italian trade union leader.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office did not name the Gulf state concerned. However, a source familiar with the course of the case confirmed to AFP press reports that said the country was Qatar.