BAGHDAD, IRAQ — Saddam Hussein’s chief lawyer walked out of the former leader’s trial yesterday after a series of defense requests were rejected. The chief judge immediately appointed other attorneys to defend the deposed president.

Chief defense attorney Khalil al-Dulaimi had just ended a month-long boycott of the trial, in which Saddam and six other defendants are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for a 1987–88 offensive against Iraq’s Kurdish population.

Four Kurdish witnesses testified yesterday about atrocities committed under Saddam’s regime, involving alleged chemical attacks against their northern communities, before the trial was adjourned until today.

When the session began, Mr. Dulaimi filed 12 requests, including that the court should allow foreign lawyers to attend the trial without prior court permission. Mr. Dulaimi had said Sunday that he was ending his boycott to make the requests.

After Chief judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa rejected most of Mr. Dulaimi’s requests, the defense lawyer said; “I inform the court that I’m withdrawing.”

The judge responded: “I allow you to withdraw. Go ahead.”

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley met yesterday with his Iraqi counterpart to discuss military and political coordination during a surprise visit to Baghdad.

The Iraqi government said Mr. Hadley met with Mouwafak al-Rubaie in his Green Zone office to follow up on a decision late last week to form a joint commission to coordinate American-Iraqi relations, especially military activity.