Marcos Al-Zacar, Sr.

Marcos Al-Zacar, Sr. (first name also reported as Fadi) was the husband of Elaine and father of Marcos Jr.

Before Day 8
Marcos Sr. moved from Kamistan to New York in his early thirties. There he was a college professor of politics and Middle Eastern studies at multiple New York state universities during his 30 years as a US citizen. He married an American woman, Elaine, and had one son, Marcos Jr who was born in East Harlem, New York City.

Marcos Sr. was very critical of American foreign policies and soon was classified by the United States as a "known grass-roots organizer and political agitator", appearing on several governmental watch lists. He was arrested during the Wayne Palmer administration on suspicion of being linked to extremists. Although the charges were dropped after four months in jail, Marcos Sr. found it impossible to find employment and committed suicide almost a year later, which was at least 5 years prior to Day 8. Two months after the death of his father, Marcos Junior was recruited by Ali and started spying on the United States for Kamistan.

Day 8


The deceased Marcos Sr. was discussed by his widow and his son when Marcos Jr. was attempting to kill himself with a suicide bomb during Day 8. Elaine acknowledged that her husband was a "complicated man" who nevertheless forbade violence, and reiterated this point when Marcos Jr. claimed that his father would have approved of the terrorism of the Kamistan splinter cell. Elaine was unsuccessful in persuading her son. Jack Bauer was barely able to talk him down, but not before Marcos Jr. was killed by his own recruiter, Ali.

Background information and notes

 * This character is named "Marcos Al-Zacar, Sr." in two official CTU documents, and on the same screen a college professor ID card shows the name "Fadi Al-Zacar". No explanation is given for this discrepancy.
 * It is strongly likely that the mention of the "Wayne Palmer administration" meant that Marcos Senior was among those arrested on account of Tom Lennox's aggressive detention policy during the terrorist attacks of Abu Fayed before and during Season 6.