Chicago man accused of setting train passenger on fire had 72 prior arrests

The victim was reading her phone while riding on a train when the man allegedly doused her with gasoline.

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Lawrence Reed who was arrested for the crime had 72 prior arrests that include eight felony convictions and seven misdemeanours, according to the White House.

The victim, 26-year-old Bethany MaGee, survived the attack but is "now fighting for her life with horrific burns", the White house said in a statement.

In court on Monday, Mr Reed yelled three times in succession "I'm guilty", after the judge warned he could receive a life sentence for charges that include committing a terrorist attack, according to reports from inside the courtroom.

The White House has sought to blame the incident on Democrats' policies on crime, casting them as "soft".