HELENA, Mont. — Senator Steve Daines today met with Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Eric Barnhart, the new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent for Salt Lake City Division, which includes Montana.
Daines and Barnhart met in Helena at Daines’ urging to discuss national security issues facing Montana. Daines sought more information regarding FBI Director James Comey’s statement that law enforcement authorities have open investigations of suspected ISIS supporters in all 50 states. Director Comey also estimated that law enforcement authorities have around 900 active homegrown extremist cases, the overwhelming majority of which are related to ISIS.
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“I’m glad that I had the opportunity today to meet with SAC Barnhart to learn more about the national security threats facing Montana,” Daines said. “We cannot allow fear to disrupt our daily behavior, but we must remain vigilant about the growing threat of Islamic extremism and work to prevent future tragedies like what happened in San Bernardino and Paris. I thank SAC Barnhart for his service to keep our country safe from terrorist threats and the important work the FBI does on behalf of all Montanans.”
Barnhart’s post as SAC for Salt Lake City Division began in April 2015, with jurisdiction over Utah, Idaho and Montana. Barnhart began his career as a special agent for the FBI in 1996 and previously served as the supervisory senior resident agent of the Billings, Montana resident agency of the Salt Lake City Division. In this capacity, he supervised the Billings, Bozeman, Glasgow and Havre resident agencies and was responsible for all program matters.
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