Egypt's government has detained four journalists working for the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera English news channel, arresting them during raids on a five-star hotel and at least one private residence Sunday night.

The journalists, including an Australian national, are accused of "harming national security" through links to the recently banned Muslim Brotherhood organization, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The arrests are the latest development in a rapidly escalating crackdown on the Brotherhood, an Islamist group that the government last week declared a "terrorist organization."