Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness first openly declared his membership of the Provisional IRA in 2001 when he submitted his draft statement to the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday.
In the same year, at a private meeting, he also informed the Bloody Sunday families that he intended revealing his position in the IRA in 1972.
Mr McGuinness said in his draft statement: "On Bloody Sunday I was the adjutant [second in command] of the Derry command of the IRA."
When he came to deliver his evidence in person at Derry's Guildhall in November 2003, the Derry man elaborated on his role, telling Lord Saville that within two weeks of Bloody Sunday he became leader of the IRA in Derry.
He told the inquiry that he initially joined the Official IRA but after a few weeks switched to the Provisionals. He said he joined the Provos approximately nine months before the introduction of internment in August 1971.
In a supplementary statement, he said: "I have been asked what the role and responsibilities of adjutant were. Frankly I was not sure what an adjutant did.
"I was only 21 at the time and found myself in a position and role that was not defined. In practice the role was to maintain the integrity, discipline and structure of the organisation.
"This was not a conventional army. A lot of the volunteers were younger than me. There were very few older men. We were inexperienced. My role was to ensure that the units met regularly, that the organisation was properly structured and that discipline was maintained."
While unionist politicians consistently claimed Mr McGuinness was an IRA member it was not until his evidence to the Saville Inquiry that this was confirmed by the Sinn Féin member.
He also told the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that he had left the IRA in the mid 1970s.
Commenting on the release of the Willie Carson photograph, a Sinn Féin spokesman said: "Martin McGuinness was a close friend of Colm Keenan and indeed the Keenan family.
"Colm, along with his comrade Volunteer Eugene McGillan, were murdered by British forces.
"The picture was taken at the funeral of Volunteer Colm Keenan in March 1972. This was during the period in which Martin McGuinness, giving evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, said he was a member of the IRA. This is a matter of public record."
