[denydenydeny]

The tip, received in March 1999, appears to be one of the earliest signs that U.S. officials had about one of the 2001 hijackers....The hijacker was identified as Marwan al-Shehhi by The New York Times, which reported German officials tipped off the CIA.

This doesn't quite make sense. Al-Shehhi didn't arrive in America until mid-2000, if I recall correctly. What good would a German phone number have done anyone?

[Atlantic Friend]

Eavesdropping, perhaps ? If they planned 9/11 while still in Germany, that could have done wonders.