Posted: September 29th, 2008 - 4:54am by Doug Powell

Not deliberately dumb, or deliberately daft, but deliberate with intent for death – or at least dysentery.

Sweden’s security service Säpo is investigating possible sabotage following an incident which left 140 people at the headquarters of Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv) suffering from dysentery.

The victims, which included employees of the association, its members, and other guests, all suffered from the illness caused by the Shigella dysenteriae bacteria after eating in the office’s cafeteria several weeks ago, reports the Veckans Affärer magazine.

According to the Metro newspaper, the group claiming responsibility for the attack is a left-leaning, internet-based forum which had previously staged demonstrations outside of the association’s headquarters.

In Texas, an IHOP restaurant has been closed three times in the past five months for repeated occurrences of what health investigators call a rare Salmonella, type C; over 10 people have been sickened.

Group C is a strain that researchers and health officials hardly ever see and it's so powerful it clings to surfaces and is more resistant to disinfection.

Police have been called in to help with the investigation.