Nur Students and movement. Once again the searches, confiscations, arrests, imprisonment, and court cases began. Hundreds of Risale-i Nur Students were subject to this new wave of vengeful repression. The country was now governed by the so-called National Unity Committee, and the decision was taken to move Bediuzzaman's remains to an unknown spot. They could not leave him in peace in his grave even, just as they had hounded and harassed him up to his last moments in this world. His brother writes:

It was in early July and three and a half months since my elder brother's death. I had performed the midday prayers on time in the house I rented near Mawlana's tomb in Konya when the Special Branch chief, whose name I learnt was İbrahim Yüksel, came. He told me that the governor wanted me. Together we went to the governor's office. On our entering, there were three generals. One was Cemal Tural, and one was Refik Tulga. Refik Tulga was at that time the Second Army commander and temporary governor of Konya.

Cemal Tural said to me: "The people in the east and from beyond our southern borders are coming and visiting your brother's grave illegally. The times are sensitive. With your co-operation, we're going to move his grave to inner Anatolia. Please sign this paper."

He handed me a petition written as though by myself. I read it and said: "I have no such wish. At least leave him in peace in his grave." But they told me:

"You have to sign it. Don't put us in a difficult position."

We climbed into the vehicle that was to take us to the airfield after signing the petition... Finally we boarded the aeroplane. My family and children knew nothing of this. Of course they were all anxious and frightened.

We reached Diyarbakir. After a brief rest we boarded a different plane and took off for Urfa. They took me in a military vehicle to an army building. They offered me some food, but I didn't want it; I was exhausted. We had landed at Urfa in the afternoon. After nightfall they took me in a jeep together with a captain and some soldiers to the Halilürrahman Dergah. There were two coffins in the courtyard of the mosque. There were a number of soldiers wandering about. [^133]

[^133]:Şahiner, Said Nursi, 461-3.

From other accounts we learn that this was the night of 12 July 1960. The town had been taken over by the army. There was a strict curfew and no one was allowed on the streets. Tanks and armoured vehicles had been positioned at all key points in the town. The Dergah was surrounded by a