Jakarta – A suspected militant being held here after his arrest in Malaysia has admitted involvement in the beheading of three Christian schoolgirls in 2005, Indonesian police said Tuesday.

The brutal killing of the three girls came at the height of violence between Christians and Muslims in religiously divided Poso on Sulawesi island, and shocked the world.

The national police spokesman said Agus Purwantoro, 39, had confessed his involvement in that and other crimes in Poso.

"Doctor Agus (Purwantoro) was wanted for a series of violent acts in Poso... he was also involved in the beheadings of the three schoolgirls in Poso on November 29 2005," said Anton Bachrul Alam.

Purwantoro was arrested in Malaysia in January along with Abdul Rohim, 49. Both men were extradited to Indonesia on March 28.

"Abdul Rohim is allegedly involved in meetings to plan violence in Poso," Alam said. "Both men admitted their involvement in the acts of terror and using forged passports."

The three teenage girls were walking home from school when they were attacked with machetes during a festival marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. A fourth girl survived and fled with serious injuries. Three men were jailed last year over the crime.

Poso has seen sporadic unrest since violence between Muslims and Christians flared in 2000 and 2001, killing around 1,000 people.

Alam refused to comment on whether the men were involved in the Jemaah Islamiyah militant network, which has been accused of fanning the flames of the unrest.