LAGOS, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the most active militant group in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta region, on Friday threatened to attack targets operated by Italian companies in Nigeria.

    MEND stated this in an e-mailed statement receiving here on Friday, saying that it would not reverse decision to attack Italian interests in Nigeria, especial Italian oil firm Agip, who is one of the major oil companies operating in Niger Delta region.

    "It is rather unfortunate that instead of coming to Nigeria with an olive branch, the Italian minister chose to come with a Greek gift that will now lead to a bigger oil war," said the statement.

    MEND on Wednesday in another statement blamed Italian government's decision to sold two attack boats to the Nigerian military. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini made the offer during his visit to Nigeria last week.

    "MEND therefore wishes to put Agip on notice that its government like that of Britain has by this action put its workers and Italian companies in the region at serious risk," it said by then.

    MEND is still holding two British hostages kidnapped in September 2008, allegedly for retaliation against British Prime Minister Golden Brown's support to Nigerian military, who is engaged in fighting rampant militancy and criminals in Niger Delta.     

    Since the beginning of 2006, several hundred foreigners have been kidnapped in Niger Delta region by a mixture of militants and criminals, most of whom being foreign oil workers. A lot of attacks on oil facilities have also been recorded since then.

    The insecurity situation in oil-producing region has crippled Nigeria's oil production, which has suffered about 25 percent shut-in compared with its peak daily output of 2.6 million barrels.