Rural Pennsylvania is not the sort of place you would think to look for someone accused of throwing the Middle East into further turmoil.
But this is where you find the alleged mastermind of Turkey’s failed coup, the Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.
And he has broken his customary seclusion to give rare interviews defending himself against the accusations levelled by his nemesis, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Who was behind Turkey coup attempt?
Turkey police and officials purged
How mobiles beat tanks and saved Erdogan
We were greeted at the Golden Generation Worship & Retreat Center by polite, well-spoken men who serve as the first line of gate-keepers to the revered preacher and writer.
They belong to organisations inspired by Mr Gulen, not run by him, a testament to the strength of his personality and the appeal of his message. He advocates a Sufi-based Islam of tolerance that emphasises education and promotes business.
In Turkey, though, critics view this style of leadership as a threat, saying he wields much unelected political influence through followers who have heavily penetrated the bureaucracy and have links to media and business.
The retreat sprawls over 25 lush green acres (10 hectares) in the foothills of the Poconus Mountains. But the cleric, it was emphasised, occupies only a single, spartan bedroom in one of the buildings. We were shown a desk, a small bed and a small mat.