WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Nine hostages held at gunpoint in Arizona's southern city of Phoenix for seven hours have been released unharmed after their captor surrendered to police, the CNN reported.

    The ordeal was resolved before dawn on Friday after officers met three demands of the hostage-taker, according to the report.

    Identified as George L. Curran, 42, the gunman had asked to see his wife, requested a civil rights attorney and wanted the FBI to be present before giving himself up.

    Police said Curran came out holding a gun to a female hostage's head but he surrendered after seeing his wife and sister.

    None of the nine hostages were harmed and Curran was in FBI custody early on Friday.

    The incident started at around 3:30 p.m. (0930 GMT) on Thursday when Curran pulled a gun during a legal proceeding and took nine hostages in a hearing room on the 18th floor of a National Labor Relations Board office.

    He was armed with a semiautomatic pistol, a revolver and a knife.

    Police suspected a federal employment issue affecting his wife had been his motivation for taking the hostages.

    One hostage said after being released that Curran might have some psychological problems.

    The hostages -- five men and four women-- included four federal employees: a court reporter, a judge, an attorney and a secretary. Enditem