TAIPEI, March 19 (AFP) - A 50-year-old engineer has admitted to posting a death threat against the two daughters of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou on the Internet, police said Friday.

"The man said he posted the message because he wasn't happy with the domestic situation (in Taiwan)" said Liu Po-liang, deputy head of the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

The message, which was removed from a popular Internet chatroom about three hours after being posted Wednesday, called for Taiwanese citizens in the United States to kill Ma's daughters, who now live in New York.

Liu told reporters police traced the message back to the man, identified by his surname Chen, and located him at his work place in downtown Taipei.

"Chen has expressed regrets over the death threat he left on the Internet. He said he is willing to work with police on the ensuing investigations," Liu said.

Chen could face up to two years in jail if convicted of inciting others to commit a crime.