The United States ignored a clear warning in July last year from the emissary of a Taliban leader that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network was planning a major attack on US soil, according to a British newspaper.
The Independentreports an emissary acting for then-Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil warned both the US consul general in Pakistan, Mr David Katz, and the United Nations in Kabul of the impending attack, but was ignored.
The newspaper cited unnamed US sources as confirming that a warning had been received from the emissary but was discounted because he did not say he was acting for Mr Muttawakil and was just one among many carrying messages of doom.
"We were hearing a lot of that kind of stuff," the newspaper quoted one diplomatic source as saying. "When people keep saying the sky's going to fall in and it doesn't, a kind of warning fatigue sets in."
The Independentsaid Mr Muttawakil, who feared al Qaeda would bring destruction to Afghanistan and who distanced himself from the more extreme views of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, handed himself over to the new Afghan authorities in February.
It said he was now in US custody and unavailable for comment.
The alleged meeting took place just weeks before the September 11th attacks.