Germany, Italy say prepared to send weapons to Iraq's Kurds

BERLIN/ROME (Reuters) - Germany and Italy joined Britain and France on Wednesday in saying they would arm Iraqi Kurdish security forces fighting Islamic State militants in northern Iraq, in close coordination with the Baghdad central government.

Islamic State, which posted a video on Tuesday purporting to show the beheading of an captive American journalist, poses a threat to the world and Europe cannot simply stand by, Germany's defence and foreign ministers said.