Nigerian militants identify foreign hostages

LAGOS, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Nigerian militants who staged a series of attacks on oil facilities on Saturday identified nine foreign hostages they had taken as three Americans, a Briton, two Egyptians, two Thais and one Filipino.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said the employees of U.S. oil services company Willbros were taken in an attack on a barge known as "Barge 318".

"These individuals and facilities were well guarded by a large number of soldiers who resisted for an embarrassingly short period before escaping to ensure their personal safeties," the group said in an email, naming all nine hostages.

Militants said Saturday's attacks were a direct response to military helicopter gunship attacks against Ijaw communities in Delta state on Wednesday and Friday, and they promised a further wave of attacks "on a grander scale".