ROME - A Facebook fan page created for the woman accused of attacking Pope Benedict XVI has caused outrage in Italy.

An Italian cabinet minister called the page, which had 150 members within hours of being created, "cowardly"

The page has been set up in honor of Susanna Maiolo, a 25-year-old Italian-Swiss woman, accused of leaping over security barriers at a Christmas Eve service at the Vatican and knocking over the pope.

The Vatican has said the woman has mental health problems.

Most of the comments on the page are sarcastic. One says she should get "the Olympic hurdles
gold medal".

Gianfranco Rotondi, government action minister in the conservative government of Silvio Berlusconi, called the page "stupid" and "cowardly" and said it should be condemned and taken down.

Antonio Gentile, a senator for Berlusconi's ruling party, said the page "confirms the need for legislative action". He added that "a social network cannot be place that celebrates violence."

The Italian government has already said it would consider a law against Internet sites after fan pages were set up to praise Massimo Tartaglia, the man held for attacking Berlusconi with a model of Milan cathedral, causing him severe facial wounds.

Italian prosecutors started an inquiry after several Internet appeals to kill Berlusconi.