Angular 2 - how to fill a local variable with JSON data from an external file

The Angular 2 tutorials I have read place variables directly in the app.component.ts file. For example var BAR below, which pulls data though the {Foo} interface.

import {Component} from 'angular2/core';
import {Foo} from './foo';

@Component({
   etc.
});

export class AppComponent {
   bar = BAR;
}

var BAR: Foo[] = [
   { 'id': 1 },
   { 'id': 2 }
];

However, I have the data for BAR in a local JSON file. I don't believe {HTTP_PROVIDER} is necessary. How would I go about getting the JSON data from the external file?