Jonathan Matijevich

Jonathan Matijevich was a skilled sniper and mercenary hired by Ira Gaines to assume the identity of Martin Belkin and assassinate Senator David Palmer during Day 1. Besides using Belkin's ID Card, Matijevich also underwent plastic surgery to give himself a convincing face as Belkin. The plot was to frame Jack Bauer for the crime, but Bauer caused a security alert, forcing the Secret Service to evacuate Palmer from the breakfast rally. The assassination plot failed, and Matijevich fled the scene.

Before Day 1

Jonathan Matijevich was in his late twenties to early thirties at the time of Day 1. Born in eastern Europe, he had a mother and sister living in Munich, whose identities were unknown to the authorities. The German antiterrorist unit GSG-9 believed that Matijevich, under the alias "Henrich Raeder," had trained in terrorist camps in Yugoslavia, as well as under the Dutch sniper Jan Van Loos. He was a suspect in the assassination of a CIA operative based in Munich, as well as a failed 1999 terrorist attack on the Reichstag in Berlin, Germany. (Findings at CTU)

Tony Almeida told Alberta Green that their sources indicated that Jonathan was a Macedonian national. ("Day 1: 10:00am-11:00am")

Sometime before the day, he was hired as the assassin sniper in the United States by American mercenary Ira Gaines. Jonathan underwent plastic surgery shortly before Day 1 in order to look like the photographer Martin Belkin, so that he could assume Belkin's identity and assassinate Senator David Palmer. ("Day 1: 1:00am-2:00am")

Day 1

Jonathan surprised Mandy in the bathroom of Gaines' compound. She'd been with the real Martin Belkin a few minutes earlier and was amazed at his resemblance. Later, Jonathan went outside to practice his shooting by firing at some targets with his rifle. At 1:59am he shot a small object with just one bullet from his rifle. ("1:00am-2:00am")

Jonathan infiltrates the power plant

Gaines was having trouble talking Mandy's partner Bridgit into giving him Belkin's ID card as she was demanding Gaines double Mandy's fee to $2 million. After Bridgit handed the card over to Gaines in the desert, Jonathan shot her in the back with his rifle. ("2:00am-3:00am")

At 6am, Jonathan prepared for his day's work by applying eye contacts in a basement at Gaines's compound. As he left, Gaines told him to be quick in case he hit traffic. ("Day 1: 6:00am-7:00am")

Later at the Press Conference at the Santa Clarita Power Plant, he got in with no hassle. Matijevich was met by Jessica Abrams who believed him to have been Belkin. Jonathan had Bauer smuggle in a collapsable rifle through security, headed by Agent Aaron Pierce. Bauer then followed Jonathan to a side room and was told to assemble the rifle together with his fingerprints all over it. While Bauer was assembling, Jonathan applied some latex fingerprints to disguise his. Just as he was about to leave the room, Jack pulled his gun on Jonathan. The assassin knew Jack could not kill him because Gaines would eventually find out and kill Teri and Kim.

Just as Jonathan took aim and was about to fire at Palmer, Jack caused a security alert by grabbing the gun of Secret Service Agent Alan Hayes. In all the chaos, Jack was apprehended by Secret Service, Palmer was evacuated and Jonathan escaped. ("7:00am-8:00am")

After Day 1

Intelligence operatives working for Interpol believed Matijevich returned to Europe after the failed assassination in the United States and may have been hiding in Munich, Hamburg, or in Athens, Greece. (Findings at CTU)

Memorable quotes

• Jonathan: (as Jack Bauer has a gun on his head) You'd better put that away; someone might get hurt. ("Day 1: 7:00am-8:00am")

Background information and notes

• Rudolf Martin played both Martin Belkin and Jonathan Matijevich.
• Jonathan's surname was revealed in TCG: First Edition, the second set of cards for the 24 Trading Card Game. The South Slavic spelling of his last name would be "Matijević".
• Whether or not he was ever apprehended for his involvement in the conspiracy is unknown, as he was never directly seen or mentioned after his escape (beyond a few mentions of his involvement, him being at large, and him not returning to Gaines). He shares this trait with several other characters such as Mandy.
• In the 2013 Indian version of 24, Jonathan's counterpart is Gajavathanan.