Is the use of torture ever justified in dealing with criminals and terrorists?

I personally feel that torture cannot be justified under any circumstances in dealing with criminals and terrorists. Criminals and terrorists are also humans, even if one may argue that the crimes they have committed are inhumane. Punishment definitely has to be mete out but it should not be torture.

Firstly, there is no guarantee that criminals would be forced to provide vital information through the use of torture. It is mentioned in the article that what if they pull out one of the terrorist's fingernails and he doesn't say anything, do they find and torture his child instead? This shows that neither is it effective in dealing with criminals nor is it justifiable. If authorities were to employ such a method, they are no different from the terrorists.

Secondly, torture is morally prohibited and it's also against national laws. Therefore, it shows that it is a common understanding by all countries round the globe that torture, in any case, is not justifiable. In such a case, no countries should have any excuse on the use of torture.

Thirdly, it has been reported that there is no concrete evidence in proving that torturing one of the captured terrorists could be linked to the capture of subsequent ones. Although difficult, the authority has to restrain from using violence, in this case, torture against criminals and terrorists.

The best way to deal with criminals and terrorists would be to form an alliance by countries around the world. This is due to the fact that terrorist operations are now extensive and a country alone would experience great difficulty in dealing with such a problem. In such a way, countries with information of the whereabouts of the terrorists would relay the information to the relevant authorities for further action. It is also important to correct the mindsets of these criminals and terrorists to feel guilty of their crimes so that they would be less likely to pose a threat to peace and security.