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The basis explanation for it all. We have a guy in our possession and we KNOW that he KNOWS about some imminent attack. And we must get that information. How do we know that he knows? Besides that, if we are to the point where we have been able to comfiscate the guy himself, we should know whatever the plan is.
Other than that ridiculous and tortured proposition it is torturing people who may know something.
Of all the slippery slopes, that one might well be the slippiest.