BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Saddam Hussein's chief lawyer walked out of the former leader's trial Monday after 12 defense requests were rejected. The chief judge immediately appointed other attorneys to defend the deposed president.

The walkout came shortly after chief defense attorney Khalil al-Dulaimi ended a monthlong 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.

When the session began, al-Dulaimi filed 12 requests, including that the court should allow foreign lawyers to attend the trial without prior court permission. Al-Dulaimi had said Sunday that he was ending his boycott in order to make the requests. Chief judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa denied the requests, prompting al-Dulaimi to say: "I inform the court that I'm withdrawing." The judge replied: "I allow you to withdraw. Go ahead."