His comments come ahead of a keenly waited February 24 hearing by the top court on the case of the hunger striking and ailing anarchist.

The PG, Pietro Gaeta, said last Tuesday that outside links had to be proven to justify keeping up the 41 bis regime on Cospito, who has lost more than 50kg on his hunger strike since mid-October in his bid to have the 41 bis abolished for all inmates including mafia dons, and who was moved to a Milan hospital from jail at the weekend.

Gaeta said it was not enough for Cospito to have been the leader of anarchist groups or to have inspired groups with his writings, arguing that the real risk of his continuing to pull the strings from inside prison had to be demonstrated to justify the 41 bis, which mandates almost complete isolation from the outside world.

Cospito was moved from Opera Prison to San Paolo Hospital in the Lombardy capital on Saturday after his condition worsened following his refusal to keep taking supplements and he is feared to now be facing heart problems.

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio last week rejected the anarchist's appeal against 41 bis, saying he still posed a real societal risk and would be able to communicate with his cohorts outside the jail if the regime were eased.

Nordio said on Friday that Cospito's hunger strike was no longer non-violent and his ability to lead the armed struggle from inside prison was unchanged.

Cospito on Friday once more refused to undergo a psychiatric assessment of whether he is mentally fit in continuing his now 115-day hunger strike.

Anarchists around the world have been staging arson and vandalism attacks in support of Cospito, who is serving a total of 30 years in jail, 20 for attacking a Carabinieri barracks and 10 more for kneecapping a nuclear plant manager.

Cospito, 55, was sentenced to four years of 41 bis last May.

His supporters have accused the State of torturing him.

International rights groups have described the 41 bis regime as inhumane, even for mafia dons.

Italian officials including Premier Giorgia Meloni have said the State will not negotiate with terrorists and have stressed the importance of 41 bis in weakening Cosa Nostra.

ANSA