Originally Posted by GUWonder
A real story (i.e., real personal experience from years ago) with little more than the dates (and perhaps individuals names) changed (i.e., even if a decades-old story) would work rather well -- especially if the prior purpose of a trip to the same or a similiar place was more "typical". The nitwit questioning will routinely fail to catch such. And if a terrorist has resolved his/her moral qualms (if any) about killing people, I doubt they'd have any more serious moral qualms about lying.
In the whole history of the thousands of man hours spent asking "did you pack your bags or get any gifts from strangers" has an interviewer once been told anything like "As I was getting out of the taxi, this guy in a white robe and checked head scarf came up and asked if I would take this box to his brother Abdul in Chicago. He said it was a birthday present, but he did not have money to mail it. He said it was an antique Arabian time measuring device, and the ticking sound was normal. As a random act of kindness I said I would take the box to Chicago with me."
Even once? Anywhere in the world?