As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors said they would recommend leniency as a reward for his assistance in solving Mafia crimes.

Heavily backed by the Catholic hierarchy, it had an agenda of combating Mafia crime.

Earlier this year, another senior prosecutor in Palermo resigned after investigators accused him of blocking their inquiries into Mafia crimes.

All but 2 of the 24 men sentenced today by the seven-judge panel are already in jail, many serving multiple sentences for other Mafia crimes.

Furthermore, between 2003 and 2007, Cito was convicted for Mafia crimes and the party seemed almost completely over.

"It was a Mafia crime that went beyond national borders," Mr. Scotti said.

Mafia crimes were often sealed by a black handprint at the scene.

The regime is blamed for a rise in corruption, Mafia crime, public debt and a lack of public responsibility.

The jury did not rule in Mr. Liggio's case, saying he had already been convicted and sentenced to life for previous Mafia crimes.

Indeed, had not John Paul condemned Mafia crime on a pastoral visit to Sicily last year?