I saw this movie in maybe 1999/2000, so I believe the movie must be from the 90s though possibly the 80s. Basic plot: They is a man and woman with two kids who have just separated. The kids spend a couple of days alternating between the two. One afternoon the mum pulls up in front of the kids school waiting for them to come out. She waits and waits but they're don't come. She eventually goes in to find them and the principal says that the kids weren't at school. She tries to contact the man to find out what is going on but he has left the country to somewhere in the middle east. The mum tries to get the authorities to help get her kids back but they tell her they have no authority as he is their father so he can't 'kidnap' them, plus they have no jurisdiction out of the country. She hires some type of investigator, agent, mercenary to track down the kids. I remember there was a bit of a car chase through a desert involving a bus. They eventually find the kids (maybe on the bus) and I think wearing arab clothing. The man could have been a muslin I think. The kids get reunited with their mum at the end.

Time has no doubt distorted my memories of this movie. This is about all I can recall, hopefully I haven't got this mixed with bits and pieces of other movies.

If you know what this movie is, let me say first; you should be working in cryptography after deciphering a description like mine. And secondly you are a dead set legend!