THE PREMIER OF GREECE, MR. GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS, ANNOUNCED TODAY HE HAD FOILED A PLOT TO OVERTHROW HIS ARMY-BACKED GOVERNMENT, AS POLICE AND TROOPS CONTINUED THEIR SEARCH FOR FORMER GREEK SOLDIER ALEXANDER PANAGOULIS, WHO ESCAPED FROM A MILITARY PRISON ON THURSDAY (5 JUNE). PANAGOULIS WAS UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH FOR ATTEMPTING TO ASSASSINATE PREMIER PAPADOULOS LAST AUGUST.

PREMIER PAPADOPOULOS SAID THAT PANAGOULIS HAD BEEN HELPED IN HIS ESCAPE FROM BOGHIATI PRISON BY ONE OF THE GUARDS.

A MASSIVE LAND, SEA AND AIR SEARCH FOR THE 30-YEAR-OLD ARMY DESERTER HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE.

A PRICE OF HALF A MILLION DRACHMAS (ABOUT GBP7,000 STERLING) WAS PLACED ON HIS HEAD AFTER PANAGOULIS HAD APPARENTLY SLIPPED AWAY FROM THE PRISON -- ABOUT 12 MILES (19 KMS) FROM ATHENS -- UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS.

A CLOSE WATCH WAS BEING KEPT ON ALL ROADS OUT OF THE GREEK CAPITAL, AND PEOPLE WITH BOATS BIG ENOUGH TO TRAVEL TO NEARBY ISLANDS WERE BEING QUESTIONED.

PANAGOULIS WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN NOVEMBER FOR TRYING TO BLOW UP A CAR IN WHICH MR. PAPADOPOULOS WAS DRIVING.