retum to Ankara. On this occasion he stayed three days, and not in the hotel but in a rented house in Bahcelievler. However, the police still did not leave him in peace.
Bediuzzaman again received visitors during this stay. Three Democrat Deputies have given accounts of visits although it is not absolutely clear during which of Bediuzzaman’s stays they occurred. Said Köker, the Deputy for Bingöl, says he paid Bediuzzaman three visits, and that Bediuzzaman told him and the Deputies with him explicitly of the 27 May military coup, which he said would occur shortly. Bediuzzaman said also he had no connection with political parties and that ‘he only liked Menderes’. Other accounts are by Giyaseddin Emre, the Deputy for Mus, and Dr. Tahsin Tola, forrner Isparta Deputy. Dr. Tola, who had contributed so much to the publication of the Risale-i Nur, was in constant touch with Bediuzzaman in Ankara. He describes Bediuzzaman's anxiety at the forthcoming calamity, and how he related Bediuzzaman's urgent message to the Govemment concerning Aya Sophia and the Risale-i Nur. Bediuzzaman himself also stated in a letter that’an importent reason’ for his going to Ankara was to urge Menderes and the Government to clean up Aya Sophia and make it once more into a place of worship. It may also have been during this stay of Bediuzzaman's that he gave his `last ders' to his students in Ankara.
Bediuzzaman left Ankara on 6 January and went once again to Konya. On 5 January Bediuzzaman had given a long statement to the London Times correspondent, who had wanted to accompan y Bediuzzaman on the journey, but Bediuzzaman had not consented, since the trip to Konya was a ‘personal trip’. Yet despite this being the case - Bediuzzaman went to his brother’s house, then again visited the tomb of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi - he was met by a huge police presence and followed by police cars wherever he went. He stayed only two hours then returned to Emirdag.